From Fred Itua, Abuja
SENATE was yesterday, divided over calls by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers to push for full-scale investigation into reports of invasion of the Ekiti State House of Assembly by Department of State Services (DSS).
Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume, in his remarks, urged his colleagues to rise against the action of the DSS, pointing out that what was wrong should be condemned.
He, however, said PDP senators were only reaping what they planted when there was a similar invasion of the National Assembly by a combined team of security forces in 2014.
In his contribution, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe drew the attention of lawmakers to the fact that the invasion was a clear breach of the Legislative Houses and Privileges Act, which forbids any stranger from entering any legislative house.
Defending her motion earlier, Olujimi informed the Senate that: “On Friday, March 4, the hallowed chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly was invaded by armed men of the DSS. And, not minding that various committees of the House were meeting, more than 10 DSS men, who were armed to the teeth invaded the assembly complex, shot sporadically into the air thereby and caused panic among members and staff of the House who had to scamper for safety.” Olujimi expressed worries that four members of the House of Assembly could not be found after the incident, adding however that information available to her showed that Afolabi Akanni, the member representing Efon Constituency was abducted and taken to Abuja;
She berated the DSS for refusing to make public, the reasons why the Ekiti lawmakers were arrested even after five days of their arrest. The lawmaker insisted that the “action is not only unconstitutional, illegal, and unlawful but is a plot calculated to harass, intimidate and embarrass the people and government of Ekiti State.”
In its resolution, Senate directed its committee on National Security and Intelligence, “to conduct an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the action of the DSS and report back to the Senate within two weeks.”