Clerk of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Pius Udoh, has said that the request for sealing of the Assembly complex was to ensure the 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 the state Assembly led by the new Speaker, Ikem Uzoezie, 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 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,” he said.
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.
