The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives and APC Caucus Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has explained his role in Thursday’s incident at the National Assembly.
Gbajabiamila who was one of those who scaled the gate to gain entrance into the National Assembly premises said what he did was to save democracy.
“What happened in the National Assembly will forever live in infamy. I never thought I would see the day when I would be forced to go over the Assembly gates where I work to gain access into the chambers. But then our democracy has to be saved. It was pretty clear the presidency in spite of a court injunction wanted to do something sinister and illegal.
“They perfected the plot to stop the Speaker and the opposition leader from gaining entry. My members were already in chambers waiting for me to come in so as to provide leadership and direction. Most of them had gone over the fate too. I had to do the needful to save our democracy. We thank God we foiled their evil machinations. We will continue to be vigilant,” he said.
Also speaking on the incident, Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, who also scaled the gate said the action was necessary in the interest of their safety as plain clothes security men who had pepper spray in their possession had already infiltrated the law makers who had gathered and were spraying the substance in the air.
“As you know, lawmakers got to the National Assembly gate at different times. By the time some of us got there, we discovered that some of the security operatives on plain clothes had infiltrated us and had pepper spray on them. When we began to demand that the gate be opened, they started releasing the pepper spray on us and called for reinforcements.
“Remember that the former Senate President, late Chuba Okadigbo was killed in Kano after pepper spray was used on him. The situation was very confusing.
Some of us felt some persons were out to frustrate the House of Representatives consideration of the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend the state of emergency in the three north east states. Some also learnt of a plot to impeach Mr. Speaker using a few members who were at the chambers at the time. Again, remember that the same scenario played out on June 6, 2011, when the same police wanted to prevent the Speaker from entering the National Assembly.
“Who are the hoodlums as suggested by the police, the occupants of a house or the man that invades a man’s legitimate place of work? I think the public will decide that. It is like seeing a man trying to steal your vehicle and you use every means possible to stop him. We acted on the spur of the moment. We had to protect our inalienable right to access the chambers. Right there, we had to contend with the threat of being bludgeoned and pepper sprayed to death. Nobody wants to be a dead hero,” he explained.
Source: #Leadership_News.
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