The issues that ought to be bothering our minds is, did he unilaterally take the decision to block the gates of the National Assembly or he is being made the fall guy. It is commendable that the acting president, Prof. Yemi Oshibajo, acted swiftly to save the already battered image of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, but the real issue should be why did it happen and the motives behind it, so as to ensure that it never happen again.
The drama that took place that fateful Tuesday was made for a purpose, as there is usually no smoke without fire. How come the pictures and narratives being pushed out to gullible Nigerians are quite at variance with all premises to the main issue at hand?
In the first place, what are the lines of communication between the DSS and the Commander-in-Chief? Does the DSS boss, as the case may be, take unilateral decisions without the consent of the Commander-in-Chief? Was that the case and if the answer is in the affirmative, has there been any sanction? As the president went on a 10-day break and handed over to the vice-president as the constitution demanded, was it mandatory that the country’s chief spy officer should be knowledgeable to know that he is also statutorily expected to also maintain the same order of communication? Sacking Daura is good but he should not be made the fall guy.
In this case, there are some pertinent questions that needed to be addressed, as it would greatly help in getting to the roots of this coup against the only institution that gives democracy a meaning in Nigeria. Primary among these questions is how come that during the entire period of this hi-tech drama not a single senator from the All Progressives Congress (APC) was seen near the National Assembly. Yet, the distinguished senators of the APC were a stone throw from the gate of the National Assembly. It was reported that they were camped at a nearby five-star hotel with a standby bus waiting to evacuate them to the National Assembly when the coast is clear for a mission.
It was further reported that the APC senators moved to a residence in Asokoro purportedly owned by President Buhari. Yet, the senators never bothered to visit the National Assembly with the news making waves about the blockade. They behaved like Emperor Nero, who was dining and wining when Rome was on fire or like the ostrich that puts its head in the sand. This is the billion naira question that Nigerians should ask the APC senators.
Another question that needs to be asked is what meeting was the sacked boss of the DSS holding with the National Leader of APC and some APC senators in the wee hours of Tuesday in Abuja? I leave you to get the answers. If late night meetings of this nature could hold near the National Assembly, what stops either of them peeping through into the National Assembly to know what was happening there? Or are they claiming that they were not aware of the news of the blockade? Your guess is as good as mine.
Another question that bothers the mind but is not directly related to the issues at hand was when Inspector-General of Police deployed his men to block the Senate President’s residence and convoy and Deputy Senate President residence, was it that he was equally instigated to carry out same?
Another question that needs to be addressed is the story about the former DG of the DSS stopping the Clerk of the National Assembly from going on leave on Friday last week and insisting he must be in the country till Tuesday evening so he could swear in a new SP on Tuesday. This needs to be out there much more. Why was it that the sacked boss of the DSS insisted the Clerk of National Assembly should not go on leave when the parliament is on break?
When IGP and his men were shouting that Saraki must appear to answer questions on Offa robbery, was it the senate president that instigated the DPP’s report? Was it Saraki that instigated the meeting with some APC senators and chieftain held a separate meeting out of APC caucus meeting by 5 a.m. on Tuesday, where the a top government functionary was contacted to reach out to the DG DSS to help carry out their 8 a.m. impeachment move? Was it Saraki that instigated that Buhari should not have an idea or ask for security report on his nominee for EFCC chairman?
When the police blocked the State House of Assembly in Benue State and only allowed eight out of the 30 lawmakers that were loyal to the ruling party were allowed to enter in order to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor, was that Saraki’s fault too? Did he call up his ‘dear friend,’ IGP Idris to ensure that the premises of the Assembly were blocked in order to embarrass Governor Ortom, who recently defected with him?
In October 2016, when the DSS raided the homes of judges in the middle of the night, President Buhari did not say anything, Vice-President Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Attorney-General of Lagos State, who should have known better, did not say anything. Maybe it was because, in their minds, it was Saraki, who has direct authority over the DSS that was behind that raid on our judges and their houses too.
When officers of the Nigerian Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) kill, assault, harass and terrorise Nigerians across the country every day and President Buhari never said anything and Vice-President Osinbajo, who should be an advocate for human rights did not say anything until recently, maybe it was Saraki who sends SARS to beat up Nigerians every single day.
All these questions begging for answers confirm that the blockade was planned long ago and not in response to any intelligence as to breach of security.
- Okocha writes from Abuja
and then