The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC), which recently pulled out of the mainstream ruling party, has hailed the lawmakers who defected Tuesday saying the move will ”redirect the compass for better politics.”
The spokesperson of the R-APC, Kassim Afegbua, made this known in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement reads in part: “We salute our gallant lawmakers for their bold decision to exit from this colony of maximum rulers called the APC and helping to redirect the compass for better political engagements and sustenance of our hard-earned democracy.
“We salute the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, for his bravery, courage and boldness in confronting agents of the oppressors to preside over the Senate for legislative duties. He was firm and calm in his disposition, and collected in his delivery of the message of hope during plenary.
“While the nation is suffering in the hands of bandits, Fulani herdmen, terrorists and kidnappers, as if it were unpoliced, the Inspector-General of Police has suddenly developed erection in trying to undermine the institution of the Legislature. We say never again shall we allow anyone, no matter how highly placed, to undermine our democracy.”
Also, speaking on the seige by security operatives on the residences of the senate president and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, in the early hours of Tuesday, the group described the situation as pathetic and ridiculous.
“We woke up on Tuesday, 24th July to the very pathetic, ridiculous, fascistic, gangsteristic, and gestapoeic realities that have occupied our democratic space when President Buhari’s police decided to lay siege on the house of the leadership of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki. He was prevented from proceeding to the hallowed chambers to carry out his legitimate duties as the duly elected Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Barely three days after our earlier note of caution, the well-scripted drama to undermine the rights of our members have come to light but in a very disturbing and utterly condemnable, Gestapo manner similar to that of members of the Jacobian scandal club of mideaval ages in American 16th Century political history.”
According to the group, ”the police, who should serve as the custodian of the democratic rights of the people and provide a good anchorage to safeguard the lives and properties of the people, have suddenly become instrument of oppression, suppression and willing tools in the hands of the xpowers-that-be”.
“We are particularly disturbed that those who glorify themselves as democrats and fighters for democracy, by condemning military rule have suddenly maintain conspiratorial and ominous silence.
“They have not only endorsed this act of ignominy, but also watching with rellish in the closet of their homes as the nation drifts on the plane of fascism, democratic militarism, gangsterism, and bare-faced dictatorship. It baffles us that while we are putting in place concerted efforts to secure our democracy by fighting brazen injustices and outright abuses, the APC government that prides itself as fighters of corruption have been trying hard to crumble this democracy.”
It also flayed the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for his dismissive remarks over the defections.
“The utterances of the disputed chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who has become the National President of the APC churning out presidential orders, signpost a dangerous trend in our democracy. Those symptoms of maximum rulership which have dominated political discourse in recent times represent sad commentary in our attempt to build and sustain democratic ethos and values in a country troubled by bad leadership.”
