All Progressives Congress (APC) Stakeholders in Delta have condemned the suspension of the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ovie Omo-Agege, by the Senate, saying it is unconstitutional.
Spokesman for the group, Mr Adelabu Bodjor, told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja, that the suspension was ´´ lawless, anti-democratic, disrespectful and oppressive’’.
According to him, it seems to be the norm for the Senate to arbitrarily suspend or threaten to suspend senators, particularly those of the APC.
´´First, it was the former Senate Leader, Sen. Ali Ndume (APC-Borno) who was suspended for 90 legislative days; now it is our Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
´´Also, there are reported threats to suspend other APC senators, particularly Abdullahi Adamu and others in the Parliamentary Support Group (PSG) for President Muhammadu Buhari,´´ he said, and called for the halt to the trend.
Bodjor stated that it was offensive that Omo-Agege was purportedly suspended for his opinions on a controversial amendment to the Electoral Act regarding the sequence of general elections.
He pointed out that the lawmaker did not break any law, but only “re-emphasised public perception that the proposed amendment was targeted at Buhari and that was his only offence’’.
Bodjor said that though Omo-Agege apologised as a matter of courtesy, he spoke within the ambit of Section 39(1) of the Constitution which granted him freedom of expression and holding opinions.
He, therefore, called on Buhari to rise up to the situation to ensure that such was no longer tolerated in the Senate.
He also called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) and other relevant security agencies to promptly enforce the law by allowing Omo-Agege to peacefully resume office.
The group’s spokesman added that elders and leaders in Delta had been labouring to control youths over the anger generated by the lawmaker’s suspension.
