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Shocked by the show of shame of bringing thugs to snatch the mace in the Senate chambers during planery alleged against Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Delta state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the act as disturbing and unsavoury.

A statement signed by the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza reads:

“The Delta State PDP is shocked and greatly disturbed by the unsavoury incident which occurred in the hallowed chamber of the Nigerian Senate, at about 11am, on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, when certain non-members of the Senate, described as thugs, invaded the chamber, disrupted the plenary session in progress and one of the invaders, in a brazen act of lawless audacity, plucked the Mace from its stand and walked away with it, escorted by his cohorts.

“The suggestions that these ‘foreigners’ to the Senate chamber, who committed this unscrupulous and sacrilegious attack on the Senate, were acting at the behest of Senator Omo-Agege, has been fully supported by unedited and unfiltered film footages streamed by credible Nigeria News media organizations, showing Senator Ovie Omo-Agege leading a group of unruly individuals, who are neither Senators nor staff of the Nigerian Senate, into the Senate while in plenary, first to brutalize and severely attack some members of staff of the National Assembly, particularly the Sergeant-at-Arms on Chamber duties and then proceed down the chamber steps to the Senate President’s area, where one of the fist-waving individuals acting in a thug-like manner, plucked away the Mace, which is the sacred symbol of Authority in the Senate and walked away with it audaciously, escorted gleefully in his nefarious act by his other violent colleagues. 

“Senator Omo-Agege from the footage, did not make the slightest effort to dissuade them, but rather watched in satisfaction, shook hands with some Senators and proceeded to sit down calmly and with smug countenance, despite the fact and in total disregard of his suspension from the Senate for 90 legislative days, through the plenary session which had resumed with a substitute mace, even collecting a copy of the Senate hand book which was handed over to him by one of the Senate staff. 

“Delta state PDP is aghast and flabbergasted by this shameful show of brazen impunity and unbridled affront on our democracy by a member of the Senate, who is not only expected to be distinguished and matured in actions, but is sadly from Delta State and representing the intelligent, discerning and well respected people of Delta Central Senatorial Zone.

“Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who has been described as the mastermind of this invasion act by foreigners, for even being mentioned, associated and identified with this callous act, has brought shame to his name, the name of Delta State and the name of the people of Delta Central Senatorial Zone, who he represents, with this shameless act of national embarrassment, indiscretion and disgrace.

“The Delta State PDP condemns the actions of the alleged thugs identified as loyalists of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, for invading the Senate chambers and taking away the Mace, the symbol of Authority of the Senate, illegally. 

“We fully align ourselves with the position of the National Assembly, NASS, which has quite appropriately described the action as treason and given the police, DSS and other responsible security agencies, 24 hours to recover stolen mace.

“We are in total support of the decision of the Senate, signed by Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, to get to the roots of this sad assault on democracy and an obvious act of treason which the seizure of the mace by some hoodlums represent. 

“We endorse the position of the Senate which has mandated the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Kpotum Ibrahim and Director General of the State Security Services (SSS), Mallam Lawan Daura, to retrieve the mace stolen by the hoodlums within 24 hours.

“Nobody is above the law, no matter your position and acts of lawlessness and brigandage such as this, allegedly coming from a man occupying such a hallowed position is shameful and should be condemned by one and all.

“Delta State PDP hereby tenders an unreserved apology, on behalf of the good and law abiding citizens of Delta State, to the distinguished members of the Nigerian Senate and the National Assembly and indeed the entire Nigerian population for this national embarrassment which a Deltan has brought on our dear State. This is another clear testimony of the kind of leadership that the All Progressives Congress, APC is giving Nigerians and a dangerous early warning signal of what and how they intend to prosecute the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

“We hail the brave pronouncements by the Senate leadership that the National Assembly cannot be intimidated or taken for granted and we are hopeful and confident that the law of the land will take its due course in the resolution of this matter.”