National Assembly inauguration starts

The inauguration of the 8th national assembly is now underway, TheCable can report.

This is contrary to the rumour that it has been postponed to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) put its house in order and avoid a contest for the positions of senate president and speaker.

“If the inauguration is going to be postponed, a notice would have been issued by now,” an official in the office of the clerk of the national assembly had told TheCable. “The rumour is nothing but propaganda to cause confusion.”

A returning senator also told TheCable that there would be a constitutional crisis if the new assembly is not inaugurated today.

“It is just like President Goodluck Jonathan stepping down and President Buhari is not inaugurated. There would be a crisis. The 7th assembly ended last Thursday and legislative business has to resume today, if not there will be crisis,” he said.

Buhari summoned an emergency meeting of all APC senators and reps for Tuesday morning following the endorsement of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – although APC had preferred Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for the nation’s No. 3 and No. 4 positions.

Security has been tightened around the national assembly complex ahead of the inauguration.