Blocked by police, desperate Attorney General scales fence to serve injunction on state Assembly
The Nasarawa State House Assembly has called on Governor Umaru Al-Makura to immediately sack the state Attorney -General and Commissioner for Justice, Innocent Lagi, for scaling the fence of the Assembly to deliver an injunction.
The House reached a resolution to call for the sack of the Attorney- General on Tuesday after it deliberated on the issue of misconduct raised by the Majority leader, Godiya Akwashi, (PDP, Nasarawa Eggon-West).
Mr. Akwashiki, who brought the issue under matters of urgent public interest, said Mr. Lagi came to the complex during plenary and scaled the fence to gain entrance into the Assembly.
He said the commissioner took the decision having been stopped by the security at the gate.
The Majority Leader wondered why the Attorney General could engage in the scaling of a fence.
He said that by such act "Lagi is not fit to occupy the office of Attorney- General".
The Assembly therefore resolved that Mr. Lagi should be sacked with immediate effect from Governor Al-Makura's cabinet.
The resolution read by the Deputy Speaker, Elisha Agwadu, also directed that the police should investigate and prosecute the Attorney- General over his mission to the Assembly.
This, the House said, became necessary to serve as a deterrent to others.
The Chairman and members of the State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) appeared before the Assembly on Tuesday to answer questions over the conduct of the local government election held on Saturday.
However, a mild drama ensued when the state Attorney-General attempted to serve the Assembly with a court order restraining it from interfering with the activities of the commission.
The order he said was issued by the state Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Attorney-General was prevented by the police at the entrance to the complex and he resorted to scaling the fence to gain access.
The Assembly quickly ordered his arrest for scaling the fence and he was whisked away by the police.
Umar Ismaila, the Police Public Relations Officer later told NAN that the Attorney-General was only invited by the Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Idris, following complaints from the legislators.
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PREMIUM TIMES
Scaling of National Assembly gate our lawmakers' 'finest hour' – Soyinka
Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, has criticised the Nigerian media for continuously describing as 'show of shame' the incident where some members of the House of Representatives scaled the gate of the National Assembly to gain entrance into the complex.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Tuesday, Mr. Soyinka said that the phrase ought to be reserved for Suleiman Abba, the Inspector General of Police.
About 15 members of the Lower House scaled the fence to gain access into the complex, two weeks ago, after they were stopped by police officers.
"Legislators are not elected for their athletic prowess, and such endeavours should not be demanded of them," said Mr. Soyinka, a professor of Comparative Literature.
"There are even presidents and prime ministers who were elected despite physical handicaps. The brain is where it matters, the vision and commitment to service."
Mr. Soyinka said that by scaling the National Assembly gate, the legislators were made to perform over and beyond the call of the Olympics.
"I don't understand why some media have described their action as a show of shame – this is a very careless, easily misapplied designation. The act of scaling gates and walls to fulfill their duty to the people must be set down as their finest hour. They must be applauded, not derided.
"If shame belongs anywhere, it belongs to the Inspector General of Police and his slavish adherence to conspiratorial, illegal, and unconstitutional instructions – to undermine a democratic structure, and one – to make matters worse – convoked in response to an emergency of dire public concern."
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The other two news items are in the future.....
Stay tuned....
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