Senator Ovie Omo-Agege being led away by the police after the stolen mace debacle

Abuja, May 14, 2018 (AltAfrika)-Security was on Monday beefed up at the National Assembly, Abuja, ahead of expected resumption of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege following last Thursday’s Abuja High Court nullification of his suspension by the Senate.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that apart from full security detail in the red chamber on Monday, policemen were seen at the lobby leading into the chamber, a development that is unusual on a non-sitting day.

Some staff of the Assembly, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the development was not unconnected with the expected return of Omo-Agege to the chamber on Tuesday after the court judgment in his favour.

They confirmed that the move was to check likely breakdown of law and order as experienced when the mace was forcefully taken away.

Omo-Agege had gone to court to challenge his 90 legislative days’ suspension by the Senate; and the court, in its ruling, declared the action unconstitutional, saying that the Senate could not suspend a member beyond 12 days.

His suspension was based on his comment that amendment to Section 25 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), bordering on reordering of elections sequence, was targeted at President Muhammadu Buhari.

(NAN)