…As Yoruba Ronu tells NASS: Your threat against Buhari a ‘gangster behaviour’***

The Senate on Wednesday directed the Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Monsur to retract the statement he made that the anti-grazing law in Benue and Taraba should be withdrawn.

Senator Barnabas Gemade, APC, Benue, had raised a motion under matters of public importance stating that just on Tuesday that seven people were killed and several houses burnt in his senatorial district. But quickly pointed out that “most disturbing is the fact that upon all that was discussed at the security meeting held on Tuesday what came out from the Minister was that the anti-grazing law should be withdrawn.

He also requested that one minute silence should be observed for the departed souls. He appealed to his colleagues that the defence minister should withdraw the statement credited to him because the killings started before the enactment of the law. The presiding officer, Bukola Saraki put the motion to a voice vote and the ays unanimously endorsed it.

In the meantime, the threat by the National Assembly to invoke constitutional power against the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is a “gangster behaviour’’, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum, lashed on Tuesday.

House of Representatives and the Senate joint meeting The lawmakers incurred the displeasure of the South West socio-cultural group, following the threat by the lawmakers against the executive on Tuesday.

The forum said that the continuing interference of the National Assembly in the investigation of its indicted members could truncate the country’s democracy if not checked. The forum, said the interference in such investigation was more like “a gangsters’ behaviour” by people who swore on oath to protect the country and its citizens. Mr Akin Malaolu, Secretary-General of the forum, said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that the National Assembly was on a mission to truncate the country’s democracy due to lawful investigations carried out by government agents against some of its members. He added that the National Assembly should remember that government was the creation of the people including the Senate and the House of representatives.

He maintained that the role of government was to disallow impunity and absolute liberty to commit heinous crimes, some of which he said were noticeable amongst leaders of today. He added that the threat to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari for performing his duties was uncalled for. The members of the National Assembly came out of a closed door joint session to unveil a 12-point demand bothering on insecurity, war against corruption and respect for lawmakers.

They threatened that they would not hesitate to invoke their constitutional power against the executive if it failed to implement the demands. Their action is coming in the heat of the invitation of Senate President Bukola Saraki by the police to answer to his indictment by some five robbery gang leaders who led the attack on six banks and a police station in Offa on April 5, an operation in which 33 people were killed.

Vanguard