Akwa Ibom: All Legislators Must Have Access to State Assembly, says Senate

The Senate during its sitting on Thursday, November 22, 2018
ordered the Nigerian police force to vacate the premises of the
Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
The legislators also directed the police to grant the state
lawmakers access to their chambers.

Senator Bassey Akpan disclosed in the plenary that the lawmakers
were still unable to access their chambers in the state.

“Security agents are still there. No legislator has been allowed
in or out. We owe the people of Akwa Ibom this responsibility. It
is not right. An injury to Akwa Ibom State is an injury to
Nigeria,” he said

During the discussion on the issue, Senator Ahmed Kaita added,
“If the police vacate the premises, the legislators will go in
there with their supporters and create fracas. The police are only
there to promote peace. Let us, as a Senate, verify the facts of
this issue before taking any action.”

After the debate by several lawmakers, the senate president,
Bukola Saraki, directed the Police authorities to vacate the
premises and not prevent the legislators to have access to the
chambers.

Security forces invaded the premises of the assembly following
the crisis that erupted in the chamber on Monday when the Speaker,
Onofiok Luke, declared vacant the seats of five lawmakers who had
defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All
Progressives Congress (APC).

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