On The Invasion Of Senate

Wednesday, April 18, 2018 would forever be remembered as a day of infamy in the annals of Nigeria’s legislative and political history. It was a day when some angry Nigerians, arguably constituents of suspended Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, stormed the red chamber of the National Assembly complex and made away with the mace. The mace is the symbol of authority in the legislature.
This unfortunate and sad incident happened at exactly the same time Senator Omo-Agege “forced” himself into the Senate chamber in violation of the 90-day suspension slammed on him by the Senate the week before. Senator Omo-Agege has since denied any link with the theft of the mace and the police announced its recovery the next day. Investigations by the police and other bodies are currently on-going.
Undoubtedly, there is a nexus between the suspension of the senator, his “forced” entry into the Senate chamber, and the invasion of the Senate by some angry Nigerians. But not in the way that most Nigerians think.
Senator Omo-Agege’s sin which incurred the wrath of his colleagues, was that he, in the company of nine other senators, addressed a press conference in which he voiced fears that the re-ordered election sequence bill was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari. That bill has been placed on suspension in the aftermath of the drama that took place last week.
According to the Senate, that statement by one of their own within the precincts of the National Assembly complex, is an incitement of Nigerians, most especially Buhari die-hards in Northern Nigeria, against the Senate.
Ironically, our distinguished senators did not consider the revelation of the humongous salaries and allowances they earn by Senator Shehu Sani, as an incitement of Nigerians against the Senate despite the backlash that greeted it from all and sundry. They also did not consider it proper to suspend Senator Dino Melaye, a vocal acolyte of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for using obscene words to verbally assault Senator Oluremi Tinubu on the floor of the Senate. They also applauded Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe when he declared that the president is incompetent.
The crux of the matter is that we have a Senate that has constituted itself into an opposition party and a cog in the wheel of progress of the Buhari administration. Their pastimes include flexing muscles with the executive and its agencies, proposing unpopular legislations and passing resolutions that are not within their brief. Few examples are the face-off with the Nigerian Customs Service boss, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd); the anti-social media bill, the anti-NGO bill and the recent resolution calling on President Buhari to sack all the service chiefs.
How can an institution which is supposed to provide a forum for robust debate of the policies and programmes of the government, transmute into one that stifles free speech, and suppresses opinions and dissenting views of its members?
I condemn the descration of the hallowed upper chamber. People should learn to stomach their angst and express their grievances through recognized legal channels. However, I see nothing wrong in Senator Omo-Agege’s action since there was a valid court order against his suspension by the Senate. The laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria takes precedence over the Senate rules which his colleagues relied upon to suspend him.
My grouse is that an entire region, made up of five million people, have been denied of representation at the Senate due to legislative dictatorship. In the event that there is an oil spill, or a natural disaster which claims the lives of thousands, or the need to cite one or two federal projects in the region, the entire Urhobo nation who has contributed immeasurable human, material, natural and financial resources to the Nigerian state since independence in 1960 till date, will have nobody to speak for them or fight for them.This is a great injustice meted against the people.
Akus wrote in from Ifo, Ogun State.

Peter Ovie Akus