The Red Chamber of Nigeria’s bicameral Legislature is likely to be a war theatre from Tuesday as the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators are pressing to oust the leadership of the Senate in a bid to provide President Muhammadu Buhari with a legislative cover to further subvert the country’s democracy.
Already, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) is alleging a violent, undemocratic, unlawful, illegal and demonic takeover of the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday.
According to the CUPP, ‘’the APC led Federal Government are of the firm belief that Tuesday is their best and last chance to effect the changes as their control of the judiciary will be put to use to ensure there is no reversal of justice for the present occupants. The Senate will reconvene on Tuesday to discuss the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Buhari.’’
This is coming as former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has been accusing Senate President Bukola Saraki of personalising the chamber, and pointing out that plans to impeach him are still alive.
But the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wants the APC senators to note that the issue at hand is not partisan.
Ndume, from Borno State is one of the APC senators insisting that Saraki must vacate his seat following his defection from the party to the PDP. He has been having a running battle with Saraki, following his supposed support for the Executive against decisions of the National Assembly.
He lost his seat as Leader of the Senate and was suspended for six legislative months but the courts later nullified the suspension and declared it illegal. He was also stripped of his position as Chairman of the Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
For the PDP, the issue at hand is not even about Justice Walter Onnoghen, ‘’but about nationhood, as well as the protection of our democracy and constitution from despotism’’. The party has also alerted of moves by unnamed ‘’certain agents’’ of the Buhari Presidency to bribe APC senators to protect the embattled Buhari from imminent parliamentary sanctions for constitutional breaches and gross misconduct.
‘’Intelligence available to the PDP shows that this is the reason the jittery Presidency had summoned all APC senators to the Presidential Villa to a clandestine meeting on Monday night, ahead of the Senate’s resumption on Tuesday.
‘’The PDP have been informed of how the Buhari Presidency has been unsettled following national and international outcry over his constitutional breaches, particularly the assault on the judiciary in his attempt to forcefully remove Justice Onnoghen and impose a pliable CJN to do his bidding.
‘’President Buhari is not only apprehensive that the Senate might sanction him for violating the constitution and usurping its statutory duties regarding the handling of issues related to a CJN, the parliament might also open an inquest into how Buhari, who parades as Mr. Integrity, allegedly procured an Order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) upon which he announced the illegal suspension of the CJN’’, the opposition said.
Continuing, PDP’s Spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said ‘’there are reports that the said order is suspicious and subject to investigation, being not argued or issued in the open court; following which a distressed Buhari Presidency now seeks to corrupt and undermine the Senate.
‘’The PDP has been made aware of how money has been moved from the coffers of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to bribe the APC senators, as well as how each APC senator has been offered huge sums of money in foreign currency to engage in heckling during the session, particularly when the matter is raised.
‘’The Buhari Presidency is bent on corrupting our democratic institutions but Nigerians are watching the action of our lawmakers at this critical time.’’
CUPP’s Full Statement:
‘’The CUPP is once again raising alarm having received incontrovertible facts over a fresh plot that has been hatched and which has received the go-ahead nod of President Muhammadu Buhari led APC govt for a violent, undemocratic, unlawful, illegal and demonic takeover of the leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday, 29th January, 2019. The APC led Federal government are of the firm belief that Tuesday is their best and last chance to effect the changes as their control of the judiciary will be put to use to ensure there is no reversal of justice for the present occupants. The Senate will reconvene on Tuesday to discuss the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The APC is ready to do whatever it takes to destroy the very fulcrum of our constitutional democracy on Tuesday and have vowed, it is tomorrow or never. The judicial coup which they believed was supposed to be more difficult went very easily beyond their imagination hence the need to complete the takeover of the National Assembly immediately so that the distraction of the election campaigns will be put to use.
They have also resolved that the government will make some big positive announcements tomorrow being Monday, 28th January so as to deflect the minds of Nigerians. Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chibuike Amechi and Babatunde Fashola have been saddled with the responsibility of choosing the issue for announcement by the government.
The plot will see the criminal announcement of Sen. Ahmmed Lawan as the Senate President, Sen. Hope Uzodimma as the Deputy Senate President and Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the Senate Leader. While in the House of Representatives, Hon Gbajabiamila will be announced as the Speaker of the House and Hon Abdulmimin Jibril will be announced as the Deputy Speaker. The decision on who will be the House leader will be resolved by the trio of Bola Tinubu, Adams Oshiomhole and Sen. Gorge Akume.
The arrowheads of this treasonable plot in the National Assembly include Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Ali Ndume, George Akume and Kabiru Gaya. While the mebers of the House who are part of this plot to destroy democracy include Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon. Abdulmimin Jubril and Hon. Agbonayima.
To ensure the plot goes successfully, the Federal Government has mapped out the sum of $70, 000 for each Senator and $40, 000 for each House member for what it called welfare since majority of them will be compelled to be in town suddenly. The money for the bribes have already been released to Senator Lawan and Hon. Gbajabiamila for onward distribution to their members as they return. The money amounting to $15million ($8million for the House and $7 million for the Senate) was sourced from NNPC, CBN, NDDC, NPA, NIMASA, a commercial bank and a company the owner of whom is a member of the cabal.
Nigerians are hereby put on notice that these coupists are plotting that Sen. Saraki, the Senate President, Sen Ike Ekweremmadu the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ben Bruce and Sen. Sen. Dino Melaye, Biodun Olujimi, Hon. Dogara, Kingsley Chinda, Nnena Ukeje among others would be stopped by security agents from gaining entrance into the National Assembly. Thugs have been mobilized from Plateau, Kwara and Kogi to mount protest at the gates of the National assembly and have the approval to attack and disperse any group that come to hold a counter rally.
Nigerians have been sleeping too much and not keeping vigilance. We hereby reiterate our call;
If you are sleeping- wake up!
If you are eating – stop!
If you are playing – stop!
The political barbarians are knocking on the last door of constitutional governance and democratic rule and are willing to knock it down if we do not resist them. This was how Hitler started! He burnt down the parliament and we all know the tyrant that was born afterwards.
Nigerians be vigilant, many citizens paid the supreme price to win our democracy which President Buhari APC and his Buccaneers want to destroy.
We shall stand shoulder to shoulder with all men of good will till we overcome.
They claim they have taken over the Media!
They claim they have taken over the judiciary!
They claim they have taken over the INEC!
They claim they are now taking over the Legislature!
But alas!!! They have not taken over the Nigerian people, our collective will and our renowned resilience to push back evil out of our land!
Freedom comes by struggle!
Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere
1st National Spokesperson.’’
