NASS Condemn Move To Impeach Ortom, Describe It As An Illegality
Loading ...From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
Members of the National Assembly from Benue State have expressed shock and disbelief over the manner in which security forces stormed the House of Assembly to pave way for the Ikyange led faction to gain access into the hallowed chamber of the State Assembly, early hours of Monday.
They have equally condemned the purported impeachment process on Governor Samuel Ortom by that faction describing it as an illegality.
The Assembly members led by Senator Barnabas Gemade expressed disbelief that security agencies meant to ptovide safetu for all citizens could take sides in a situation like that leading to protecting some members of the society against the others as well as aiding and abetting impunity.
“We have learnt with great shock and disbelief what had taken place here today, where in a commando style, the Nigerian security forces made up of police and DSS would storm a state and cause a minority group of the legislators loyal to one political party to meet and allow them to make pronouncement on issues which are supposed to be deliberated by all member of the 8th Assembly.
“This is an illegal action and we are extremely surprised that under democracy, a minority group can be given this kind of unimpeded access with security to cause illegality.
“And we members of the National Assembly frown at this extremely and we have come here to pay our solidarity to the governor and the people of Benue state.
Gemade stated that defection from one party to another is not a crime wondered why anybody would want to vilify those of them who defected on account of their decampment to the Peoples Demiocratic Party (PDP).
“Defection from a political party is not a crime and therefore those of us who have left one political party to the other have not done anything wrong therefore nobody should be vilified for the step we have taken because democracy is about freedom of choice.
“People have made their choices, they should be left with their choices. When we stood election we chose the party we stood election in and when we operate we also operate for the people who elected us.
“The prime duty of a legislator is to represent his people and therefore he should never be stopped from representing his people.
“So 22 members that formed the majority, because they belong to a particular political party are stopped from exercising their fundamental rights in attending Assembly and doing what they should do.
“It’s absolutely wrong and we condemn it with all seriousness. And we will ensure that when we go back to Abuja, we will inform the National Assembly leadership and members and where possible they will take action as is expected of them following the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended,” Gemade stated.
Earlier, Benue State Governor Samuel OrtomGovernor Samuel Ortom described his alleged impeachment as laughable, provoking and illegal vowing to employ all legal means to tackle the anomaly.
Governor Ortom described the development as impunity of the highest order wandering how eight members could be impeaching a governor.
Ortom lamented the heavy deployment of policemen and DSS acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police and Director General of DSS with the active connivance of Senator George Akume to forcibly gain entrance into the chambers of the Assembly to carry out illegality.
The Governor who pledged to continue to carry out his legal duties said he has not committed any offence by defecting to another party adding that in a democracy, everyone has the right to freedom of association.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to protect the nation’s democracy that made him president saying this kind of impunity if allowed to continue will derail democracy.
