Invasion of hallowed chamber: Threat to democracy – NLC

The invasion of the hallowed chamber of the Senate on Wednesday by hoodlums and miscreants, who carted away the mace, has been described as “a violation of the sanctity of the Senate and a threat to democracy’’.

The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, made this assertion in a statement he personally signed on Friday in Abuja.

He said that the act represented a throw-back to those dark old days when we were without democracy, adding that it was equally a sad commentary on the quality of representation.

NLC president said the Congress, therefore, condemned it in its entirety and called on all lovers of Nigeria to rise and condemn what he described as crude and sordid act or conduct.

“The Senate, from the days of the Greeks and Romans from whom the world borrowed this concept of democracy, has always been a sacred arena for nobility (in carriage, thought or mind), the best and the brightest.

“It has also been for the gifted in oratory, a hatchery of the supremacy of ideas delivered in the most sublime and profound language in furtherance of the interest of fatherland.

“As a house packed full of representatives from different parts of the Republic, there are bound to be differences (of opinion, tactics, strategy) and even conflicts.

“These are expected to be resolved in a dignified manner befitting of men and women of character and learning!

“It is for this reason, there are rules of engagement that every member is made to understand as a precondition to swearing in.

“It is in consideration of this that we consider what has happened as a big anomaly,” he said.

Wabba said that labour also believed that the National Assembly security apparatus should be called to question for laxity or compromise.

According to him, whereas they have often distinguished themselves by keeping at bay constituents and peaceful protesters from the precincts of the National Assembly, these thugs seemed to had walked on a laid red carpet.

Could these agencies have been acting alone? What is the degree of their complicity? He queried.

“Whichever way, we condemn this primitive conduct and demand sanctions. Let it never happen again. There are better methods no matter the issues,” he added.