In anticipation of a possible opening of the Senate chamber by lawmakers loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have taken over the National Assembly complex. At 8.15 a.m. Tuesday morning, the lawmakers, who were initially denied access, were called in by security officers. Senators Ben Murray Bruce, Biodun Olujimi, Rafiu Ibrahim, Isa Misau, Abdullahi Gumel all entered the premises. According to Bankole Omisore, an aide of Senate President Bukola Saraki, the lawmakers have reportedly forced their way into the premises through the back gate of the complex, but their offices and the chambers are still locked. Sanni Onogu, the chief press secretary to the Senate president, had on August 6, sent a message to journalists covering the National Assembly to be on the alert over a possible reopening of the Red Chamber, The Sun reports. Onogu’s statement had read: “All members of the press corps are hereby invited to be at the Senate, on Tuesday, 7th August by 7:00am to witness the plan by some senators to break into the Senate Chambers and hold an illegal session. Thanks.
A similar report by
Premium Times, however, claimed that the DSS operatives barricaded the National
Assembly in a percieved bid to aid pro-Buhari senators impeach Senate President
Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
Some 30 pro-Buhari
senators allegedly had a meeting overnight with the director general of the
SSS, Lawan Daura, to plot the impeachment.
Sources claimed that
the senators have planned to elect the senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, as Senate
President and Hope Uzodinma as his deputy
Earlier it was reported
that as the battle to unseat the president of the Senate, Bukola Saraki,
allegedly by senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress
thickens, it has been learnt that their colleagues from the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) have stormed Abuja. The PDP senators are reportedly in Abuja to
stop any of such plan against Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
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