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Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday barred Senator Ben Murray Bruce, from exchanging pleasantries with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa.
The senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, who joined his colleagues to a dinner to mark the 2016 democracy day, said he had attempted to greet President Buhari like a senator did, but the security agent denied him access.
He said on Twitter:
“I was at the Presidential villa today. Went to the President’s table. DSS wouldn’t allow me greet him but let another Senator greet him.
“My critics say I shouldn’t criticize the president openly, so I go and meet him one on one and I’m blocked. Am I not a Nigerian citizen?
“If PMB’s handlers selectively block access to him, he runs the risk of being surrounded only by sycophants!
“I have nothing against the President, however, nobody is too important to be criticized and my mouth will never be silenced!”
Many believe that the treatment meted out to the PDP senator was due to his critcal comments about the present administration.
On Sunday, May 29, he alleged that Buhari and his ministers spent the last one year giving excuses. And few hours before the villa incident on Monday, he tweeted:
“It’s ‘fantastically corrupt’ that Nigeria maintains a 10 plane Presidential fleet whereas the PM of a rich nation like UK flies commercial!”
