Nigerian senators have been at loggerheads over whether or not they should immediately reconvene to address the Nigerian Army’s massacre of citizens at Lekki Toll-Gate on October 20.

Just hours after the killing left at least nine protesters killed as they chorused the national anthem in protest against police brutality, the Senate’s WhatsApp group was locked in a debate about how to immediately respond, Peoples Gazette learnt from some senators who took part in the discussion.

Senator Bassey Albert was one of the first senators to demand a fierce and immediate response from the Senate. The Senate under Ahmed Lawan has failed to comment on the massacre five days after it occurred, despite widespread uproar including condemnation from Bill Clinton and President Donald Trump.

Mr. Lawan’s leadership has been widely seen as a ‘rubber stamp’ for its failure to live up to the Senate’s oversight roles as witnessed under Bukola Saraki and others in recent decades.

Mr. Albert, from Akwa Ibom, said it would be unfortunate if the Senate failed to comment on the matter or summon security chiefs to explain their decision to massacre Nigerians at the heart of Lagos.

Mr. Albert, in his October 21 contribution in the Senate’s WhatsApp group, said the Senate should immediately call off its recess and show Nigerians that it is a body for the people and not for the president, Peoples Gazette learnt.

Mr. Albert also threatened to go public with his call for the Senate to reconvene and address the matter. He has yet to do so.

He was immediately supported by Senator Betty Apiafi, who lampooned the Senate for being unable to call President Muhammadu Buhari to order despite all his transgressions. Security analysts have concluded that President Buhari’s failure to address the Lekki massacre and hold anyone accountable showed he was the one who ordered it.



Ms. Apiafi, from Rivers, decried Mr. Lawan’s failure to ensure that the Senate’s resolutions are respected.

She said even if a resolution is passed on the massacre in Lagos, Mr. Buhari would probably ignore it in his usual attitude towards the key lawmaking body, sources said.

Mr. Lawan declined to comment on whether or not he would reconvene, and two senators told the Gazette Sunday evening that no official communication had been passed towards an emergency resumption of plenary.

Senators who briefed the Gazette on the WhatsApp group fallout requested anonymity to discuss internal Senate discussions.

The Senate is scheduled to officially resume plenary on November 24, but Nigerians have been calling on their senators to do something about the Lekki massacre else they would be seen as an accomplice to the military’s blight on the country’s civic history.

A spokesman for Mr. Lawan did not immediately return calls seeking comments about senators’ anger Sunday evening.

https://peoplesgazette.com/nigerian-senates-whatsapp-group-scatters-over-lekkimassacre/?

This is where Saraki and co will be missed.

This is where Saraki and co will be missed.

It still baffles me that some soldier ants on nairaland are blaming tinibu

They should reconvene now.

Who need them

Bukola saraki's expertise needed here

Patriot9:
This is where Saraki and co will be missed.

It still baffles me that some soldier ants on nairaland are blaming tinibu

Tinubu was aware, forget that thing.

I wonder who be the admin for the group.

The senators in this term are worse than previous terms

Asides from the obvious issue with the Senate's lackadaisical attitude towards pressing national matters, is it secure for our Senators to have a WhatsApp group? I mean internal discussions of our Senate could spied upon by external parties.

Just saying

Not surprised

Beware Nigerians. This is the time to know and understand the true identity of those who cause tribalism on here, they are paid agents, they are neither from east or west. They have more than twenty accounts, they would create tribal topics and make tribal comments with another accounts to cause chaos between southerners. Though, they have no conscience but you can try to educate them or better ignore them. They are easy to identify, use your head brothers.


They dominates this platform, they are agents of destruction.

So they have whatsapp group.?

They will definitely be collecting whatsapp group allowance and the admins will be paid heavily.

It’s funny how senators fighting for the right thing to be done aren’t even from Lagos, the Lagos senators have been eerily quiet... hmm

How can our senators discuss national issues on a WhatsApp group. This shows how porous our national security is

Only Saraki?
What about Jonathan and Dansuki?

Patriot9:
This is where Saraki and co will be missed.

Patriot9:
This is where Saraki and co will be missed.

It still baffles me that some soldier ants on nairaland are blaming tinibu

laiperi:
Only Saraki?
What about Jonathan and Dansuki?

yes, what about them ?

CaPpaDonNa:
It’s funny how senators fighting for the right thing to be done aren’t even from Lagos, the Lagos senators have been eerily quiet... hmm

Don't forget that the senators from Lagos are tinubu's puppets.

This further confirms fear that Tinubu has a hand in the lekki tollgate murder

nairanaira12:


Don't forget that the senators from Lagos are tinubu's puppets.

These further confirms fear that Tinubu has a hand in the lekki tollgate murder

surprising silence, there’s a suspicion I have but I won’t say till I get confirmation. This matter isn’t over by a long shot

Party scatter

Tinubu has a joker up his sleeves, watch out. He has bent over backwards to please these people yet this is how they want to fûck him over and demystify him even in his own small Lagos

Dem don dey delete posts now now

The senators are caught between a rock and a hard place, there’s no way they can ignore this massacre no matter how hard they try

jedisco:
How can our senators discuss national issues on a WhatsApp group. This shows how porous our national security is

In these covid time must they meet face to face always?.
What is the national security issue in discussing on a whatsup group for senators? If they don't, it is same we that will say they are old outdated men.
I really do not see anything wrong.

nedekid:

In these covid time must they meet face to face always?.
What is the national security issue in discussing on a whatsup group for senators? If they don't, it is same we that will say they are old outdated men.
I really do not see anything wrong.

absolutely nothing wrong

Pic or

Lagos

Is Nigeria not a Zoo?

nedekid:

Did you watch Atedo peterside interview on arise TV? Pls do. He gave analysis as a finance risk analysis professional.
He said warning sign of state sponsored terror was when an unknown young man couuld call an impromptu press conference in Abuja and all the media houses ie Nta, AIT, Channels etc was there. Even him during his time as a bank ceo would have problems assembling them at such short notice. It showed the man was being sponsored by powerful forces. Ie the state.
Same seems to apply to Lagos. At same time ie coordinated with Abuja thugs attacked protesters at Alausa etc.
People alledged it was mc oluomo. Mc has to come out to give a rebuttal. He sent drinks but they were rejected. Everyone knows who mc oluomo works for.
Now if supposedly mc sent thugs, people will know as the thugs will talk amongst themselves and family. It was obvious the thugs had some powerful backing cos they were able to approach Alausa with ake utc etc. Ie armed and not molested by security operatives.
Why do you think Tinubu's facilities were attacked by street urchins? The word on the street was that it was sponsored violence which climaxed with the Tuesday shooting.
I think, no one planned or expected so much destruction. Especially tinubu. They only thought by doing small shakara they could end the protest unfortunately, things went wrong and it escalated.

wonderful analysis, I’ll watch the interview though

Rubber stamp house is staged to manage the affairs of certain sect..

"Forces beyond government's directive" is a codename for a ruling sect who are hired strangers..

-So, questioning the Lekki massacre invokes the wrath of these animalistic sense of specie..

nedekid:

In these covid time must they meet face to face always?.
What is the national security issue in discussing on a whatsup group for senators? If they don't, it is same we that will say they are old outdated men.
I really do not see anything wrong.

We are talking about the senate of a country discussing national issues on WhatsApp. The security implications are huge. Even major non governmental institutions around the world will not use WhatsApp to discuss important issues. Well it's not surprising given from the recent leak, they use Yahoo mail and Gmail as their official email.
No wonder a former US ambassador once boasted that they knew all the discussions going on in our former VPs office