Presidency plotting to arrest lawmakers that booed President Buhari during the budget presentation — PDP alleges

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) has alleged that the presidency is plotting to arrest all its members who booed President Buhari during the presentation of the 2019 budget last week. 

This allegation was made by the spokesperson of the party’s Presidential Campaign Organization, Buba Galadima, when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja yesterday December 23rd.

Galadima claims he has it on good authority that the presidency was taking the names of those who supposedly booed the president in order to send either the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or the police after them.

“We learnt under an impeccable authority that some of his close aides are meeting and taking names of those who supposedly booed the president. Whether to frame them, either with the EFCC or ask the police to invite them, I don’t know.   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 hallow 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 for what he read out on the floor of the National Assembly.” he said

Recall that President Buhari was booed by some members of the opposition party at the National Assembly during the budget presentation. It got so bad President Buhari had to stop his presentation to remind the lawmakers that the world is watch as he does his presentation and that they all need to comport themselves.