The suspended members of the Plateau State House of Assembly yesterday met with President Olusegun Obasanjo over the emergency rule imposed on the state expected to terminate on November 18.
The 24-members who were initially denied entry into the State House in the morning, however met with the president later in the day after a meeting with security personnel where they were briefed on several issues concerning the suspended governor, Chief Joshua Dariye and the state in general.
Competent sources within the meeting confirmed to Daily Trust that prior to the meeting with President Obasanjo, the suspended legislators were thoroughly briefed by security operatives on what happened to Dariye in London.
Chief Dariye was reportedly apprehended by the Metropolitan Police in London for alleged money laun-dering when 80,000 pounds was found in his possession.
Our sources said the briefing also touched on Dariye’s on-going trial for violating the assets declaration process as charged by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“The meeting with the president was part of the on-going consultations,” said the source, adding that the president assured the legislators that the emergency rule will be lifted on November 18, following appeals for the restoration of democratic structures in Plateau State.
Daily Trust also gathered that the suspended members pleaded with the president to allow them investigate Dariye after the lifting of the emergency rule in line with constitutional provisions.
The source said the legislators want due process to be followed in the process of removing Dariye if need be, pointing out that the president was very receptive and prom-ised to get in touch with the legislators on all issues raised.
“He was very receptive today (yesterday), unlike when he met the legislators during the imposition of the emergency rule. He acted like a father and they acted like sons,” the source said.
Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, who is also an indigene of Plateau State confirmed to State House correspondents that the suspended legislators met with the director-general of the State Security Services (SSS), but declined further comments.
Earlier in the morning, attempts by members of the suspended assembly to gain access into the presidential villa proved abortive as they were stopped and turned back by security men at the pilot gate.
There was a mild drama at the gate as the legislators who arrived at about 9.30 a.m. insisted on going into the villa for the meeting with President Obasanjo.
But the security men at the gate stood their ground, saying the legislators, names were not on the list of those scheduled to see the president yesterday.
After waiting in vain, the suspended legislators led by the Speaker, John Lalong, left the villa for an unknown destination.
The meeting between the legislators and President Obas-anjo had been the subject of much speculations in the media last weekend.
When contacted, presidential spokesperson, Mrs Remi Oyo, said categorically that no meeting between the president and the suspended legislators was fixed for yesterday or any later date.
“A meeting with the legislators is not in the president’s schedule. They were scheduled to meet with a government official and they have already done that,” she stated.
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