NASS siege: PDP wants sacked DSS DG prosecuted

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the prosecution of Lawan Daura whose sack as the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS) was ordered by acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday over the siege laid by his men on the National Assembly.

The party also admonished the acting President to shelve the idea of using Daura as ‘the fall guy’ for the siege by security forces.

In a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Tuesday, the party insisted that the invasion by the DSS and Police was with the absolute knowledge and approval of President Muhammadu Buhari, Osinbajo, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that Daura’s sack was an afterthought, diversionary and deceitful.

The PDP recalled that it issued series of statements at the weekend alerting Nigerians to the plots against the National Assembly and democracy ahead of President Buhari’s overseas trip noting that the Presidency was silent on all the alarms raised by the Buhari Presidency.

It added: “If anything, they urged the Senators and Members to remain steady in their grave plan to ridicule our bastion of democracy, the National Assembly.

ALSO READ: How Mask-wearing DSS operatives blocked National Assembly

“The Presidency’s sack of Daura was a damage-control stunt and a knee-jerk gimmick which came as a response to the national and international outcry against the armed invasion of our legislature by security agents as directed by the Buhari Presidency.

“The action of security agents that blocked the National Assembly is treasonable and must attract appropriate sanctions under our law.

“It is not enough to take populist approach of easing Daura out of office. Our party demands an immediate investigation by an independent panel of inquiry headed by a retired Chief Justice of Nigeria to examine the remote and immediate cause of the invasion.

“Moreover, Section 16 of the Legislative House (Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017, provides that any person, who by any act, obstructs members of the National Assembly from performing their legislative duties, is liable and punishable by imprisonment.

“Furthermore, Nigerians observed that the invasion was not only by the DSS, but also had the involvement of the Police, whose high command has not received any sanction or reprimand by the Presidency for its serial acts of impunity.”

The PDP commended federal lawmakers, Nigerians, the media as well as the international community “who rose in defence of our democracy, even as we remind all not to let down their guards.”