The former Chief Whip of the upper legislative chamber and one of the leaders of Action Democratic Party, ADP, Senator Rowland Owie, has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led executive arm of government of carrying out the attack on Senate where the mace was stolen.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Sun, Owie condemned the invasion of the senate by thugs, alleging that the disgraceful act had the support of security agents. The former lawmaker also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of not promoting democracy with its acts. He called on the National Assembly to start the process of President Buhari’s impeachment immediately for spending over 469 million dollars on helicopter without approval from the National Assembly.
In his words;
“It is a desecration of the order; all those that were involved certainly committed treason. When I was looking at the newspaper, I saw the vehicle that was used.
“I asked one of my sons the name of the vehicle and he said it was ‘Infiniti’, that the car cost almost 80million. That type of vehicle is not owned by a street hawker, it is not owned by a teacher, it must be owned by a top government official. “For thugs to go through the well fortified gates of the National Assembly and then enter into the chamber of the senate where there is electronic check, it means that there was total collaboration with the security agents. From all indications what happened was supported by the executive of this country.
“For them to be able to leave the National Assembly with the mace it is a shame on this nation, it is a shame on the security agencies. It means that all the security agents were aware and they were told to stand down. “Police at the assembly are not less than 100 officers, so I don’t see how thugs could have breached the security if it wasn’t planned. All those involved should be brought to justice.
“If Nigerians don’t wake up it will be a disaster. This APC government headed by Muhammadu Buhari is not people-oriented. It is unfortunate that there are very good people inside it but they are quiet. “And when you are quiet in the face of injustice it means that the individual doesn’t have the fear of God in him. My colleagues in the National Assembly have not lived up to expectation in checking the excesses of the executive.
“The legislature is the most important tool in democracy; the legislature should endeavor to check the executive. There have been a lot of irresponsible actions taken by the executive which the senate has failed to address.” Asked what he specifically would you have loved to see the National Assembly do to the executive, Senator Owie added, “How can the National Assembly which has the authority of confirmation of appointees reject the statutory appointment of an official and then the executive goes behind to retain such person?
“How can the executive neglect the rejection of the legislature? If the Senate was not sparing the rod, the moment the executive went ahead to confirm the appointment they would have removed the allocation meant for the particular office or position, so that if the chairman works and is paid, whoever that paid him would have committed an impeachable offence.
“The executive in this government has looked down on the National Assembly time and time again. How can the president spend over 469 million dollars on helicopter without approval from the National Assembly? The Senate should immediately send Buhari a message and begin impeachment procedure against him.”
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