Breaking saraki adresses world press conference to explain national assembly siege fracas

BREAKING: Saraki Addresses World Press Conference to Explain National Assembly Siege Fracas

Lagos, Nigeria - August 8, 2018

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki, has addressed a world press conference to explain the events surrounding the siege on the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday, August 7, 2018.

Saraki's Statement:

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, esteemed colleagues, and fellow Nigerians, I am here today to address the unfortunate events that unfolded at the National Assembly yesterday. As you are aware, the DSS, without prior notice or justification, stormed the National Assembly, attempting to prevent us from carrying out our constitutional duties.

I want to assure you that the Senate and the National Assembly will not be intimidated or deterred from performing our constitutional responsibilities. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the legislative arm of government is able to function effectively and independently.

What Happened Yesterday:

Yesterday, at around 11:00 am, a group of heavily armed DSS operatives, accompanied by some police officers, stormed the National Assembly complex. They attempted to prevent us from accessing the complex, and in some cases, physically blocked our way.

We were forced to seek the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, who subsequently deployed more police officers to the complex to restore order. The DSS operatives eventually retreated, but not before causing significant disruptions to our activities.

The Motives Behind the Siege:

We believe that the siege on the National Assembly was orchestrated to prevent us from carrying out our constitutional duties, particularly in relation to the ongoing investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds by the Executive.

We have been investigating several allegations of corruption and abuse of power by the Executive, and we believe that the DSS was attempting to intimidate and silence us.

The Consequences of the Siege:

The siege on the National Assembly has far-reaching consequences for our democracy. It is a clear attempt to undermine the independence of the legislative arm of government and to silence us from performing our constitutional duties.

We will not be deterred by this attempt to intimidate us. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the legislative arm of government is able to function effectively and independently.

The Way Forward:

We urge the Executive to respect the independence of the legislative arm of government and to refrain from any further attempts to intimidate or silence us.

We also urge the DSS to respect the rule of law and to refrain from any further attempts to undermine the democratic institutions of our country.

In conclusion, I want to assure you that the Senate and the National Assembly will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the legislative arm of government is able to function effectively and independently. We will not be intimidated or deterred by any attempt to undermine our authority.

Thank you.

END