Barely five days that President Muhammadu Buhari was booed by lawmakers during the presentation of the 2019 budget before the joint session of the National Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation, PPCO, has revealed a plot by the presidency to arrest the lawmakers.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, December 23, 2018, one of the spokespersons of PPCO, Buba Galadima said that the group “has it on good authority” that presidency is taking names of those supposedly booed the President to frame them either with Economy and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, or ask the police to invite them.
“We learnt under an impeccable authority that some of his close aides are meeting and taking names of those supposedly booed the President,” Mr. Galadima is quoted as saying.
“Whether to frame them, either with EFCC or ask the police to invite them. I don’t know for what purpose.
“They can’t arrest any parliamentarian for booing the President on what he thinks is correct. That the President misrepresented what has happened in his or her constituency. They should be careful with what they are trying to do, because what they are planning to do, whether the President knows or he doesn’t know, will affect the 2019 general elections.
“Therefore, it is not out of place for members of the National Assembly and for all of you to know that there is a parliamentary immunity. That if members are within that hallowed chamber, they can say anything and it will not offend any law. In fact, they cannot even be tried in the court of law for what they say in the National Assembly Chambers.
“He has no authority whatsoever or his agents whether EFCC, ICPC, Police, and DSS to accost any parliamentarian for having booed the President that readout on the floor of the National Assembly.”
