Real reason Anambra Assembly was sealed – Clerk

Mr Pius Udoh, Clerk of Anambra State House of Assembly has said that
the request for sealing of the Assembly complex was to ensure safety
of workers in the legislature.

Udoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Awka, that
the legislators failed to operate within the confines of the law
guiding workings of the civil service in the complex to save lives and
property.

He said that workers at the assembly complex required a peaceful and
safe environment to enable them perform optimally.

"We have requested our workers to report to the office of Head of
Service where schedule duties will be assigned to them.

"Assembly workers will remain in the office of the head of service
till total peace and safety is reassured,'' Udoh said.

The present leadership of Anambra State House of Assembly led by the
new Speaker, Mr Ikem Uzoezie, had said that the police illegally
sealed the complex and urged the Inspector-General of Police to call
his men to order.

Uzoezie said that ordering civil servants working in the complex to
report to the head of service office, was uncalled for, as there was
no record of a violent incident or its resemblance that demanded such
attention.

"It is only the National Assembly that is constitutionally empowered
to make such an order to seal an Assembly complex in line with Section
11(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as
amended.

"Legislators held their normal meetings at the Assembly on Nov. 15
with over 25 lawmakers in attendance, including the former Speaker Mrs
Rita Maduagwu (who for obvious reasons refused to join us).

He said that the lawmakers are being hindered from performing their
legislative functions and urged the police to do the needful, as they
could not seal the executive complex if there was no problem.