*Says chambers not their private company
By Kemi Kasumu, General Editor
“If Senator Bukola Saraki forgets that power belongs to the people and the leaders are only in power to represent the power of the people, Nigerians will have no option than to remind him and his cabals in national assembly. This time, the people of Nigeria are neither pleading nor appealing to Bukola Saraki to open the National Assembly but they are commanding him and Dogara to stop the ongoing rascality and misuse of power given to him and his cabals. To this end they should open the Assembly immediately or before August 27…If they fail to listen to Nigerians that elected them, the electorates will have no option than to force the legislative chambers open after the ultimatum expires.”
The Battles Against Corruption in Nigeria Group (BACN) has given an ultimatum to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, to open the National Assembly for normal legislative business before August 27, 2018 or face the wrath of Nigerians, owners of the Assembly.
In a message to The DEFENDER on Tuesday, President of the 11,000 member Canada-based anti-corruption organization, Mr. Waheed Seriki, said the group with its membership scattered over countries in Europe, the Americas and Nigeria has commenced mobilization for a match on the National Assembly with a view to forcing it open should the legislative leadership not open before the said date.
The message read: “The continued closure of National Assembly by Senator Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and their allies in Legislative chambers is not acceptable by Nigerians.
“The closure of National Assembly to paralyze the government’s functions and inflict suffering on more than 180 million Nigerians by Bukola Saraki and power behind the looters for selfish and personal interest is not going to be condoned by the masses any longer.
“The cabals in National Assembly fail to realize that two legislative chambers belong to Nigeria not their private company or limited liability company that their board of directors can be toying with at their discretion.
“The facts that Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara and their caucus in the legislative chambers were opportune to be the leaders of legislature neither necessitate their misuse of power in the chamber nor accord them the deliberate or illegal constant closure or collapse of the two houses into one because of their personal rift with Federal Government.
“It is illegal and unconstitutional for any lawmaker to use his position and power as legislator to settle personal rift or negotiate for political position without due respect to the Constitution and the interest of Nigerians that elected him.
“Nigerians cannot continue to tolerate the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives’ disrespect to their rights. All members of the legislature are in their position because of the mandate given to them by Nigerians not because it is their birth rights.
“Bukola, Dogara and their caucus have pushed millions of Nigerians to the wall by their constantly misusing the powers given to them by the people and inflict suffering on the masses.
“Henceforth, Nigerians will not retrace in their efforts and determinations to put an end to Senate President and the Speaker’s unethical strategy of misusing their powers to destabilise and frustrate the executive arms of government and indirectly punish the citizens in their power game with Federal government.
“If Senator Bukola Saraki forgets that power belongs to the people and the leaders are only in power to represent the power of the people, Nigerians will have no option than to remind him and his cabals in national assembly.
“This time, the people of Nigeria are neither pleading nor appealing to Bukola Saraki to open the National Assembly but they are commanding him and Dogara to stop the ongoing rascality and misuse of power given to him and his cabals.
“To this end they should open the Assembly immediately or before August 27, and concentrate on the job they are elected to perform as legislatures. If they fail to listen to Nigerians that elected them, the electorates will have no option than to force the legislative chambers open after the ultimatum expires.
“The BACN group has already started mobilising Nigerians for the reopening of National Assembly if Bukola Saraki, Yakubu Dogara and powers behind them fail to do so before August 27, 2018.”
