Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka and the convener of the Save Nigeria Group Pastor Tunde Bakare, on Wednesday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the crisis in the Ogun House of Assembly.
Addressing a news conference organised by the SNG in Lagos, Soyinka urged the President to restore the matter to the path of legality and Constitutionality.
Soyinka said the impeachment of the Speaker was one of the crudest assaults on the nation’s democracy and an act of treason against the people.
Anyone who keeps quiet at this point is equally guilty of treason against the people’’ he said.
The Nobel Laureate said the first task before the lawmakers was to make peace with the people they represent because "the people have been violated".
The House was sealed on Sept. 6 following a crisis which erupted when nine members purportedly sacked 15 members, including the House leadership.
The group of nine members also approved the controversial N100 billion bond for the state and passed the supplementary budget, among other resolutions.
Speaking at the briefing, Bakare observed that to allow legislative business to begin in the House would help preserve constitutional rule and ensure that the dangerous precedent did not stand.
The Speaker should be allowed to call a meeting of the whole House where all related issues can be resolved for a lasting peace in the House and the state at large, Bakare said.
He explained that the SNG’s intervention in the Ogun crisis was mainly on the side of the constitution and the rule of law.
He described the event culminating in the impeachment of the Speaker as a continuation of the lawlessness in the nation in the last 11 years.
Bakare said it was unfortunate that the National Assembly, which ought to intervene in the matter, has maintained an undignified silence on the Ogun House debacle.
Present at the briefing were the secretary of the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy, Tony Urantta; Lagos State governorship candidate of the DPA in 2007 elections, Jimi Agbaje; and President of the Campaign for Democracy, Dr Joe Odumakin.
Others were the spokesman of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Yinka Odumakin; Laide Bakare as well as other members of the SNG.
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