{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397741", "Smith Urges Resolution of Nigerian Government Crisis", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The National Assembly of Nigeria was closed down Thursday in the wake of an effort to block opposition lawmakers from entering the Nigerian House of Representatives. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The apparent main target was Speaker of the House Aminu Tambuwal, who left the ruling People\u2019s Democratic Party recently to join the opposition All Progressives Congress. Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, urges the Nigerian executive branch to respect the democratic process and cease and desist efforts to interfere with the legislative branch. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, and as such has been watched closely by other democratic governments in Africa,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0 \u201cIf the executive branch of Nigeria successfully thwarts the ability of its legislature to operate, other governments could follow, and democracy in Africa will be placed in grave danger.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Speaker Tambuwal was able to enter the House chambers only after his colleagues overpowered State Security Service and police officers blocking his entry.\u00a0 At least 15 other House members from his party had to scale a fence erected to block them from entering the building.\u00a0 Several members reportedly were overcome by tear gas used by Nigerian security and police personnel.\u00a0 In the wake of the conflict, Senate President David Mark closed the entire National Assembly. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The National Assembly had been reconvened at the request of President Goodluck Jonathan to consider his request for an extension of the state of emergency in three states in northeastern Nigeria beset by attacks from the terrorist group Boko Haram: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397741"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9414390660822392, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}