Senator Magnus Abe has said members of the House of Representatives who scaled the gate during the invasion of the National Assembly complex by the police last Thursday, deserve commendations and national awards.

He said this while speaking with newsmen at the grand finale of the Yoruba Week 2014 and launch of the N500 million Yoruba House, held in Port Harcourt, on Saturday.

Abe, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), said there was nothing wrong in the action of the lawmakers, noting that what they did was in the defence of the independence of the legislature.

“People were talking about lawmakers who scaled the fence. I want to say that those lawmakers are the true defenders of the independence of the legislature. They should be given national awards for what they did,” he said.

Abe said they were right in scaling the gate in order to gain entry into the National Assembly complex to be able to perform their duty as the representatives of the Nigerian people.

He also said the action was to prove a point that no force or power could stop the national legislature from meeting, adding that a bad precedent would have been laid if the lawmakers had beaten a retreat during the invasion.

“If they have to scale the fence, they will scale it and they did so (that) the Nigerian people could meet to discuss the problems of Nigeria. How can anybody say they have not acted honourably?

“In the words of Barry Goldwater, the American politician, and I quote, ‘moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue and extremism in the defence of liberty is no vice.’’’

Meanwhile, a group, the National Democratic Front, has described the recent saga that engulfed the House of Representatives as a national disgrace and embarrassment that could have been avoided if the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal had taken the necessary steps.

The national president of the group, Philip Agbese, said this in Abuja.

The group also alleged that the Speaker’s plan was to factionalise the National Assembly.

He said Nigerians should hold Tambuwal and the All Progressives Congress (APC) responsible if democracy failed in the country.

He condemned in totality the plan by the speaker and the APC to set up a parallel National Assembly, querying the sudden re-opening of the House of Representative after Tambuwal had adjourned it till December as unacceptable.

Agbese warned the speaker to be careful so that he does not become a tool in the hands of anarchists.

and enemies of the democracy he used to once defend. The civil rights activist also informed Tambuwal and his Co travellers that Nigerians are watching closely and will hold them responsible for their actions and inactions.

The group urged him not to drag the image and reputation of the House of Representatives into the mud, advising the speaker to “vacate his seat to further prevent more break down of law and order if he is actually the patriot he claims”.

He described Nigerian politicians as men lacking in what they say and not what they can offer.

According to him, the unnecessary legal tussle following the outcome of the Speaker’s defection is highly uncalled for except for some individuals who believe they can continue to deceive the people using the instrumentality of their office as a weapon.

Agbese added that what transpired between the Police and some members of the national assembly was ochestrated by Aminu Tambuwal who is acting the script of the all progressive congress to form a parrallel government at every level is regrettable, uncivilised and animalistic in all ramifications and could have been aborted if Tambuwal was still in the right frame of mind.”

“It is high time our leaders are reminded that just like in other climes politicians must learn to conduct themselves with some level of morality, and it is on this note that we call on Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal to stop making mockery of our democracy by honourably tendering his resignation letter as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the following days”.

“We consider it unjust and immoral for anyone to set standards that he cannot maintain and wonder why those gentlemen that have continue to call on the President to quit on flimsy excuses cannot honourably tender in their resignations when their actions are on the other side of the law.”

“We therefore unequivocally call on Aminu Tambuwal to stop this level of gansterism as his preelsent position does not permit such acts that are inimical to the growth and development of the country.”

However, the social critic also added that the leadership of the house should remain closed until full constitutional order is restored to the national assembly to ensure that the complex is not taken over by miscreants who believe in barbarism.

Lawmakers who scaled NASS gate deserve national awards —Senator Abe http:///FIsApnJdIR

I see nothing Honourable in scaling a Fence the actions of those lawmakers is not only a disgrace to the legislature but an embarrassment to their children !

ochejoseph:
I see nothing Honourable in scaling a Fence the actions of those lawmakers is not only a disgrace to the legislature but am embarrassment to their children !

Aminu shebi na ur papa dey on that fence, him na RETIRED ARMED ROBBER abi him wan hang himself?

THEY DESERVE AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF DISGRACE.

APC = A SHAMELESS PARTY.

masterpower:
THEY DESERVE AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF DISGRACE.

APC = A SHAMELESS PARTY.

Shut up joor and listen to your superiors. Hon Cheche was among the Lawmakers that scaled through the gate, and he's a PDP Rep from Niger State. Stop making it to look like only APC Reps scaled through the gate!

@topic, I support Godwin Abe on this. They deserve National Awards. Hon. Kawu Sumaila had already been given the Prestigious National Award of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR). The next one now should be GCON, after all the Award has been bastardized by the President!

ochejoseph:
I see nothing Honourable in scaling a Fence the actions of those lawmakers is not only a disgrace to the legislature but am embarrassment to their children !

They couldn't pass a simple bill like PIB for many years. A bill that is guaranteed to reposition the petroleum sector for maximum efficiency. Yet they were able to climb the Nass gate in few seconds without any problem. That gate is almost 3m high.

an award for bringing themselves to disrepute, I think Abe head need to be examined.

true talk bro










Making sacrifice,so that DemoCRAZY can Trive in Nigeria.



Just passing by..would come back to comment more on the topic when it makes FP

The lawmakers should be commended for refusing to be intimidated out of their legislative chamber. They were elected to deliberate inside the assembly chamber, nobody should stampede them out of the chamber.

They deserve an award of disgrace and shame

What a shameful statement applauding such a shameful act. One that all reasonable Nigerians should dissociate themselves from; And these guys even have the guts to feel like HEROES instead of hanging their heads in shame

What is heroic about trying to pull down a locked gate(public property)or scaling a fence like a thief? What is heroic about slapping the senate president or fighting in the NAS complex

Well, I don't blame them much; a lot of them have traces of thuggery in their system. They are just opportunists that got rewarded for their allegiance to certain individuals, parties, groups or those that greased much palms. Nothing to offer, feeling like they are democrats.

THEY DID IT FOR THEIR CONSTITUENCY

[size=18pt]WHAT WILL THE I.G OF POLICE DO IF HE IS ILLEGALLY DENIED ENTRY INTO HIS OWN OFFICE?[/size]

And nobody is asking the IG for a plausible explanation to why his officers occupied the NASS complex on a day the reps planned to sit. That they scaled the complex gate is now an issue to be deliberated on for award or not. Those men scaled gates when obstructed on their way to work, yes, it is uncivilized not too good an act, but they didnt scale the gate to go & loot government fund!

i want to ask a simple question ...
DO U FEEL OBAMA WILL STILL BE IN OFFICE IF THE F.B.I BLOCKS THE SPEAKER OF CONGRESS ACCESS INTO THE CONGRESS
..

take award of excellence for climbing fence ani smh.Them no one miss their sitting allowance.Naija politicians go use their last breath fight for money.They don't give a Bleep about us.

Independence of the legislature or anybody for that matter is only written in Nigeria constitution, Jonathan government does not have respect for the rule of law, Jonathan is an oppressor.

Very funi...yet i totally concur..

so if the police put a road block on the road that belong to all of us u will carry ur car nd climb the road block and then demand for award. There are no second class citizen if road blocks are causing rush hours in most part of nigeria why cant d speaker nd his rep members exercise patience? Now they are asking for award smh

He should know, he is also contesting for "oscar" in the rivers state rubber bullet shooting saga.
his acting skill is way better than that of Desmond Elliot and Ramsey Noah.

mrvitalis:
i want to ask a simple question ...
DO U FEEL OBAMA WILL STILL BE IN OFFICE IF THE F.B.I BLOCKS THE SPEAKER OF CONGRESS ACCESS INTO THE CONGRESS
..

ask them. ..cause and effect.

Etiti lawmakers didn't jump fence ...7 members impeached the Speaker.

Why were the police there in the 1st place. ..why...if you have ever been to that complex. .u will understand that if u pay hoodlums 100k each to go there. .they won't. ...so please. ..lets think.

I guess dat SENATOR must once be an ALUTA

Both PARTIES (APC & PDP) are USELESSLY USELESS...
Make uh na DIE....there...!

masterpower:
THEY DESERVE AN INTERNATIONAL AWARD OF DISGRACE.

APC = A SHAMELESS PARTY.

Pdp's shamelessness is incomparable. Stop this sentomental post. We are praising patriots for their contribution to save our democracy and you are here been sentimental.