…Vehicles, visitors searched
By James Adamu
Security was tightened at the National Assembly on Tuesday with thorough checks carried on vehicles and visitors.
Findings by Spear News indicated that the measure was introduced to prevent a rumoured forced entry into the premises by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters.
The senator, who represents Kogi-Central, had informed her supporters at the weekend that she would storm the Assembly on Tuesday to resume work at the Senate.
Her threat to resume work followed a judgment of an Abuja Federal High Court on Friday, which considered her six months suspension by the Senate to be “harsh”, though the court also did not deny the Senate the powers to discipline errant senators.
The judgment was delivered in a case Akpoti-Uduaghan filed challenging her suspension for six months by the Senate for flouting the legislature’s rule on the allocation of seats in the chamber.
The court, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, also fined the senator N5million for “contempt” over the satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 7, after it had directed all parties to cease from making further comments on the case.
Consequently, the court ordered the Senator to publish an apology to it in two national dailies and also on her Facebook page within seven days, aside from the N5m fine.
The Senate, while reacting to the decision of the court, had said that it would take no actions until it had been served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.
“Pending receipt and examination of the CTC, and acting on the advice of counsel, the Senate shall refrain from taking any steps that may prejudice its legal position. The Senate remains committed to upholding the rule of law and will act strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon full clarification of the court’s pronouncements.
“We urge the public to remain patient and assured of the Senate’s fidelity to due process”, its Spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, had said on Sunday.
The Senate’s stance is at variance with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s, who had addressed supporters at the weekend, assuring them she would resume on Tuesday.
“We shall resume to the Senate on Tuesday by the Grace of God”, she told jubilant supporters.
Investigations by Spear News showed that tension had mounted within the National Assembly over the development that was likely to lead to what many concluded would be “a showdown.”
Security agencies, in an apparent bid to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order, increased the presence of their operatives around the precincts of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Vehicles driving into the building were stopped and occupants asked to properly identify themselves.
At the Senate itself, most visitors were barred on Tuesday from the public gallery.
But, a source within the legislature told Spear News that the operatives were under instruction to tighten security and prevent “certain politically-exposed personalities” from accessing the building on Tuesday.
Findings indicated that Akpoti-Uduaghan might be the primary target, owing to “her threat to force her way into the Senate chamber.”
While security remained tight on Tuesday, there was no sign of Akpoti-Uduaghan entering the premises as of 1.40pm.
Proceedings at the Senate had gone on peacefully without any distractions.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, presided.
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