The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday, lampooned the National Assembly for backing the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State, saying the lawmakers have desecrated the 1999 Constitution.

Afenifere noted that members of the National Assembly, through their actions, have demonstrated that they lack the courage to defend the democratic rights of the people of Nigeria.

The Yoruba body stated this in a communique at the end of its National Caucus meeting held at the residence of its former leader, the late Pa Ayo Adebanjo at Isanya Ogbo in Ogun State.

The communique signed by its Leader and National Publicity Secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, and Prince Justice Faloye, said the action of President Bola Tinubu in declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State and the support of the National Assembly was “an ill wind that blows the nation no good and spit on the faces of Nigerians.”

The communique reads: “Contrary to the expectation of Nigerians but in a manner consistent with its proven character, the 10th Assembly in both chambers not only joined hands with the President in further desecrating the tenuous 1999 Constitution but also demonstrated lack of courage to defend the democratic rights of the people of Nigeria.

“In clear terms, the provision of the constitution requiring the concurrence of the 2/3 majority of the members of the National Assembly on any matter, is in the absence of a national referendum, a call for legislative plebiscite in determining the issue concerned which must be demonstrated without equivocation.

“That the resort to voice votes obscuring compliance with the constitution on the required number to deal with such a matter of monumental national importance of Presidential reversal of the electoral decision of the people of Rivers State is an ill-wind that blows the nation no good and spit on the faces of Nigerians.

“Without recourse to other acts of persistent violation of their oaths of office and such others decimating the integrity, particularly of the Senate, Afenifere calls on the present leadership of the National Assembly to step aside in the interest of decency, integrity and respect for the principles of separation of powers on which fulcrum our democracy lies.

“In line with the above, Afenifere observed and holds that the recent vote of confidence on the Senate President by his colleagues is an admission of a crisis of trust on which motion the Senate President presided to the chagrins of the world.

“By these very acts, a new gambit has emerged – the crisis of Nigerian constitutionalism using which both the horizontal principle of separation of powers and the vertical principles of federalism are all undemocratically usurped by the all-powerful executive, who could do whatever he wants. This is the same way Hitler hijacked the German democracy.

“Afenifere calls on all people of goodwill to rise legitimately to restore the rule of law, ensure best democratic practice and save the Nigerian democracy. We must nip this in the pud before our hard-won democracy is destroyed.” (Vanguard)