The Nigerian Senate has been called upon to tender unreserved apologies to Nigerians over the embarrassment caused by the abduction of the Mace of the Red Chambers by hoodlums on Wednesday.
This call was made by the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable (Barrister) Michael Adeyemo on Thursday while speaking exclusively with PMParrot in his office in Ibadan.
According to the politician, there are so many questions on the issue begging to be answered.
His words “My assumption is that the National Assembly has been fortified in such a way that just anybody or miscreant will have access into the premises not to talk of the hallowed Chamber proper.
“It is believed that NASS was fortified more with the advent of Boko Haram insurgents and kidnappers.
“You see, I know that before one can be allowed into the premises of the National Assembly, one will have a mission. Questions will be asked at the gate, the person you claim to want to see will be contacted and confirmation will be made, then you will be issued a kind of pass.
“These security measures are in place so that sitting sessions will not be unnecessarily disrupted or interrupted anyhow.
“So, for these people who abducted the Mace to have beaten all known security arrangements inside NASS, to actually enter the Chamber to pick up the Mace and abscond means there is more than the ordinary eye can see.
“From past experience, I know that whenever trouble breaks out in the Assembly, state or federal, some people will stand as guards to protect the Mace. This time around, nobody tried to stop the guys.
“I watched some of the videos of how the abduction took place and saw that those who met the man taking away the Mace merely stepped aside. And these guys were not armed.
“This means there are so many questions to be answered. Who are these people? Who did they accompany to NASS? Were they asked questions at the Main Gate?
“Personally, I feel there is some kind of undercurrent moves somewhere. That is why I will insist anytime that the Senate must apologize to Nigerians for allowing such to happen. Nigerians do not need this kind of embarrassment. There are so many serious assignments before these Senators.”
The abducted Mace has since been recovered.
Packaged by Olayinka Agboola and Oludotun Ajibola
