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Non-cooperation with Executive: Our Senators did not flout party’s directive – APC

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described  as quite misleading Tuesday’s media reports that its Senators flouted the party’s directive to its members in the  National Assembly to withdraw co-operation with the Executive until the restoration of law and order in  Rivers.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its  Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the reports were borne out of the gross  misunderstanding of filibustering as a veritable democratic tool to impede legislation by obstructive  tactics.
It said that the slant of the reports, that the APC  Senators’ presence and participation at the screening of the military chiefs on Monday represented a rejection of the directive by  them, could not have been farther off the mark, as non-cooperation does not mean non-participation.
”We never directed our members in the National  Assembly to boycott the chambers’ sessions, whether it is screening of appointees or plenary. What we said is  that they should block Executive Bills. In any case, a Senator or an Honourable member can only filibuster when he  is in attendance. Fillibuster does not equate to boycott or non-attendance,” APC said.
The party said it was fully aware that its members  in the Senate would attend the screening of the military chiefs, ”just 
as we are sure they will be part of any debate on the issue, and we have no problems with that. After all they were elected
to attend the National Assembly sessions and fully  participate in its activities. But their contributions will help swing things
one way or the other. That is the crux of the matter”.
APC reiterated the propriety of its directive, which it described as pro-people, democratic and aimed at saving Nigeria from
sliding into anarchy, saying the directive has  already succeeded in dousing the tension in Rivers where those who have been 
subjected to ceaseless harassment by hoodlums aided  and abetted by the police can now stage their rallies in peace.
The party also said its directive will not only benefit APC members but  indeed all Nigerians as well as national institutions, including the  National Assembly itself, which the President has tried to rubbish by  totally ignoring its resolutions calling for the redeployment of Rivers  Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu.
”It was the National Assembly that passed the resolutions on the  redeployment of Mbu. Members of the PDP, APGA, Labour Party, Accord  Party, who are now playing to the gallery just to feather their own nest and place personal interest above national interest, were part of the  efforts that culminated in passing the resolutions in both chambers. But the Presidency simply ignored the resolutions, a dangerous trend that  will make nonsense of the principle of check and balance in our  democratic system and also encourage the President to flout future  resolutions.
”In this respect, the National Assembly itself should own and commend our  directive, instead of a few exhibitionist legislators rushing to the  media to make uninformed comments. As far as we are concerned, we acted  rightly in issuing our directive, which is meant to end the impunity in  Rivers, save our democracy from descending into anarchy and protect  national institutions which are being rubbished and manipulated by the  Presidency,” APC said

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