House of Reps remains hopeful that Buhari will still honour its invitation to appear before it

MEMBERS of Nigeria's House of Representatives are still hopeful that President Muhammadu Buhari will appear before them to answer questions about what his administration is doing about tackling insecurity despite not appearing yesterday.

Yesterday, President Buhari failed to appear before the National Assembly despite promising to do so last week to answer questions about what his administration is doing to curb the growing spare of insecurity across the country. Late last month, Boko Haram beheaded 43 farmers in Zabarmari, in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State as retribution for them cooperating with the military authorities, which prompted member of the National Assembly to demand that the president appear before them.

Following heated arguments and an executive session later, the House resolved to invite the president to answer questions and a formal invitation was subsequently dispatched to him. President Buhari had responded saying that he will appear before a joint session of the National Assembly but on Monday, Mallam Abubakar Malami, Nigeria's attorney-general Mallam Abubakar Malami, said security matters remained the exclusive preserve of the executive arm of government.

It now appears that Mallam Malami and several state governors succeeded in pressing President Buhari not to honour the National Assembly invitation. Despite this, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said he was still expecting President Buhari to appear before it to shed light on the security situation in the country.

Hon Gbajabiamila added that lawmakers expected the president to fulfil his promise to appear before the House as a man of honour and integrity. He said President Buhari was yet to communicate with the House on why he has not appeared before the lawmakers.

Meanwhile, upper chamber in the National Assembly, the senate has dissociated itself from the invitation extended to the president by the House of Representatives. Deputy senate president Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said it is unconstitutional and an aberration for any arm of the National Assembly to summon the president to speak before it.