The two chambers of the National Assembly are set to take final steps on the infamous invasion of the Senate chambers and snatching of Senate Mace which took place over a year ago.
The invasion of the chambers of the Senate on April 18, 2018 caught every lawmaker unawares and threw them into panic mode particularly with regards to the fact that the invasion happened despite heavy security around the Three Arms Zone.
It was learnt in the Senate on Thursday that the report of the Senate Adhoc Committee which investigated the invasion has been slated for debate next week.
A source in the Senate said that the committee headed by Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah had actually completed its work several months before the election.
It was also gathered that the House of Representatives which also looked into the matter have also completed its assignment and that the delay in slating the report for consideration was due to election challenges and other national matters.
“Now, the two chambers have resolved to deal with the matter before the expiration of their tenure and by next week, the report has to be debated, ” the source said.
A source with clear insights into the report said that some major actors were indicted in the report and that those indicted were recommended for punishment as contained in the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act, which recommended a minimum of six months imprisonment for the obstruction of lawmakers in the performance of their legislative duties.
The Senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, Ovie Omo-Agege, was alleged to have taken part in the invasion and abduction of the Senate Mace on the said day but he subsequently went to court to prevent being punished by the chamber.
The chamber had actually singled him out for suspension but the court injunction he secured stopped the suspension.
Sources in the know about the report said that the report classified some actions as major and minor culprits and that punishments were recommended accordingly.
It was learnt that the decision to punish whoever is linked to the mace theft was fueled by indications that some of the said actors have been paraded as having been endorsed by the ruling party for one position or the other in the incoming assembly.
A source stated: “A number of lawmakers are angered that there should be no reward for those who have one way or the other been linked to obstruction and invasion of the Assembly. If charges are pressed against them, some of them could serve up to six years in prison, in accordance with the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act, which is in force.
“We have been told by Some campaigners that certain persons have been pencilled in for the position of Deputy Senate President and other positions in the incoming Assembly.
The contention is that what kind of legislature are we building if we have to reward those who violated the chambers and the legislature and led the mace illegally out of the chambers. It is already being canvassed that action should be taken on the report now and the two chambers of the Assembly are in unison in this matter,” the source said.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
