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…as mixed reactions trail Buhari’s failure to honour Reps invitation
… we are awaiting official communication-Reps
…low turnout of Reps at plenary
By Emman Ovuakporie
President Muhamnadu Buhari chose to respect the resolution of his party the All Progressives Congress APC rather than obey a resolution passed by the House of Representatives to solve national security matters, Rep Kingsley Chinda stated this after plenary on Thursday.
TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the query issued Buhari on December 1 and how he agreed to honor the House but failed to show up on Thursday as promised without sending a communication to the House.
TNG in a bid to get a true picture of the matter contacted Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Caucus, Rep Kingsley Chinda who states that:
“Mr President had all the time in the world to attend his party’s NEC meeting and FEC but failed to honor an invitation that borders on a resolution revolving on national security of Nigerians.
“The party by Mr President’s understanding is bigger than our invitation because their resolution is that he should ignore the House resolution.
Hon Chinda who was among the few lawmakers that attended Thursday plenary too was disappointed by Mr President’s deliberate refusal to honour the invitation.
He explained that “what is customary to do is for the president to communicate to us about why he chose not to come.
Reactions from Lawmakers:
Some of the House members who spoke to TNG under the condition of anonymity simply gave a verdict that the president was scared and was misled by his party chieftains.
One of such lawmakers from the South East geo-political zone of Nigeria said:
“We are really disappointed because this invitation is of national importance and is expressly stated in Section 89 of our 1999 constitution as amended.
“All he needed to do was to explain his challenges and tell us how soon he would remedy the situation.
Another Rep from the North Central geo-political zone simply said you can clearly deduce from the body language of Mr President that he is scared after promising us he would appear before us.
Reactions of minority leaders:
The deputy minority leader Toby Okechukwu PDP poopoohed the position of Attorney General to the Federation, Ababakar Malami who earler declared that Reps went beyond their scope.
Okechukwu, a senior lawyer, disagreed with Malami, describing the AGF’s position as “strange”.
He said that the invitation was a prudent effort on the part of the legislature to find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity in the country, adding that the President’s willingness to appear was evident in his interaction with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Without making undue to efforts to win an argument, Section 89 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended clearly empowers the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with Section 62 of the Constitution to procure evidence, written or oral and to ‘summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place.
“Therefore the attempt to pressurise Mr. President not to appear clearly shows that some highly placed political actors in the ruling party are placing politics over the protection of lives of Nigerians. The APC is evidently fiddling with propaganda and politics while Nigeria burns”, he stated.
The lawmaker, who represents Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, Enugu State, described as unfortunate a situation where every invitation by a branch of government to another branch to interact towards addressing any national challenges was considered as demeaning, thereby triggering unnecessary flexing of muscles.
“It is evident from APC’s position as made public by the AGF that the safety of Nigerian citizens would take a back sit in the next few days, while the argument over who is right or wrong unfortunately takes the front seat” he added.
He, therefore, called on President Buhari to rise above the legalese and political fray to show leadership in order to rally the Nigerian people and their parliament to find lasting solutions to the growing insecurity in the country.
Also, the minority leader, Hon Ndudi Elumelu who spoke in the same vein disagreed with the AGF.
Elemelu in a statement he issued on Thursday, stated that such assertion by the Attorney General amounts to standing the law on its head and portrays him as an officer who is not in touch with the laws and the realities on ground.
The same section 218 cited by the Attorney General as well as sections 88 and 89 clearly grant the National Assembly the powers to request Mr. President’s attention on his handling of security and operations of the armed forces.
Section 89 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended clearly empowers the Senate or the House of Representatives or a committee appointed in accordance with Section 62 of the Constitution, to procure evidence, written or oral, and to ‘summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence at any place.
The lawmakers noted that President Buhari, in response to the constitutional invitation, had already agreed to appear before the House to address Nigerians.
“Mr. President’s apparent backward steps on the invitation just because handlers like Abubakar Malami, are afraid of the people, puts him in very bad light before Nigerians and the world”, the caucus stated.
The caucus described as “reckless ” the claims by the Attorney General that by inviting Mr. President to address Nigerians, the House of Representatives overstepped its bounds.
“Indeed, as lawmakers, we are surprised that an individual who calls himself a Senior Advocate of Nigerian and who sits in office as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation can reason in such manner”.
According to the lawmakers, “the fundamental reason for the existence of any government is the security of life and property and such is directly vested on the President as the commander-in-chief.
“Today Nigerians are killed, kidnapped and maimed everyday in all parts of our country. Nigerians live in constant fear and they are asking questions; they seek reassurances, which only Mr. President can offer.
“As elected representatives of the Nigerian people, members of the House of Representatives are mandated by law to ask questions on the state of the nation, especially on issues of security and that informed the invitation to President Buhari.
“It is therefore sad and a great disservice to the nation and the President that the only opportunity Mr. President had to remedy his name by addressing Nigerians through their elected representatives is being thwarted by individuals pursuing their selfish interest not the interest of Mr. President or that of the Nigerians people”, the lawmakers stated.
The caucus further expresses serious concerns over the interest and roles being played by officers like Abubakar Malami in governance, especially in relation to the failures to stem the tide of insecurity in the country.
“We as lawmakers therefore urge President Buhari not to allow officials like Abubakar Malami to ridicule his office and further alienate him from Nigerians.
“Mr. President, having agreed to appear before the House and given that the invitation is backed by the constitution, should take steps to honour invitation and not allow himself to be distracted by persons who have demonstrated that they do not wish the nation well”.
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the House, Hon Benjamin Kalu in a briefing on Thursday stated that the House is yet to receive an official communication from the presidency on why Mr President failed to appear before the House.
Thursday’s plenary showcased one of the lowest turnout in recent time.
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