The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) which recently pulled out of the mainstream ruling party, has hailed the lawmakers who defected on Tuesday, saying the move will “redirect the compass for better politics.”
The spokesperson of the R-APC, Prince 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 herdsmen, 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 siege 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 medieval 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 relish 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, Comrade 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.”
The mainstream APC, on its part, urged its members not to panic in spite of the defections by some of its Senators and House of Representatives members.
“We urge our members to remain calm as we continue to work hard to position our party strongly for the next general elections,” the party secretary, APC’s spokesman Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi said in a statement on Tuesday.
Abdullahi assures the party is still in control, therefore, members should not fidget over the development in the Senate and House of Representative.
“APC remains in firm control of 25 states of the 36 states of the Federation and maintains a clear majority in the federal House of Representatives and state assemblies,” Abdullahi said.
“It would appear however that the individuals involved have different considerations beyond the grievances that they were willing to discuss and which our leaders were willing to address,” he added.
The party chairman Adams Oshiomole had said he has no fears and believed the party members defection ahead of the 2019 election would enable the party to concentrate on its campaigns.