Former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to Thursday fracas on the floor of the House of Representatives, describing it as a show of shame and national embarrassment.

The party, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, on Thursday, said the ugly development brings to question President Muhammadu Buhari and his party’s commitment to democracy, unity and stability of the country.

According to the PDP, “The disgraceful act” was a direct consequence of President Buhari’s lack of democratic credentials to respect the independence and sanctity of the legislative arm of government, the very citadel of democracy, as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.

Continuing, the party said: “The barbaric attempt to physically assault a duly elected Speaker, seize the mace, the authority of the House, is a direct attack on the Nigerian parliament which embodies the supremacy of the people and our freedom as a democratic nation.”

The statement further stated that what Nigerians witnessed in the House on Thursday clearly underscores the fact that the All Progressives Congress, APC, has exhausted its excuses and has now imported its internal contradictions into an independent arm of government as a way to further cover its lack of ideas for governance.

The party also said an intelligence reports available to the PDP showed that “the brawling APC lawmakers ostensibly acted on instructions from the Presidency, an obvious indication that President Buhari is largely an interested party whose involvement is beyond mere body language”, adding that the dishonourable conduct from the unruly lawmakers in acting out the script did not come to the opposition party as a surprise, alleging that the affected lawmakers were bred and nurtured under a political platform that it described as lacking in discipline and thrives on violence as an unwritten manifesto.