The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday decried the Federal Government’s decision to shut down the nation’s capital, Abuja, for the World Economic Forum.
He said the government’s action was illegal and could not be defended in law.
The forum holds in Abuja between Wednesday and Friday this week.
The government has ordered the closure of its offices for the period except for those providing essential services.
It also advised private organisations with large number of employees to shut down for the three days.
But, Gbajabiamila faulted the decision, saying that it breached the Public Holidays Act.
“This government continues to falter at every turn and gets it wrong on daily basis,” a statement by his research aide, Mr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart, quoted the minority leader as saying.
Gbajabiamila wondered if the government had considered the economic losses that the shutdown could cause before arriving at the decision.
He said, “The World Economic Forum had been held over the years in other cities without the cities being shut down.
“What the government has done in effect is to declare Wednesday to Friday as public holiday in violation of the Public Holidays Act.”