Members of the House of Representatives stood their ground amidst attempt by the leadership to scuttle a motion seeking President Muhammadu Buhari’s appearance before the lawmakers to answer questions on his security handling of the country
The motion followed Sunday, November 29 massacre of more than 100 Borno villagers.
Buhari has refused to sack security chiefs who were responsible for prosecuting the war against the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists and under whose watch the war against the terrorists has been failing.
At the plenary on December 1, the lawmakers overruled Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and his other presiding officers who had amended an earlier motion that prayed the invitation of the president.
The House leadership amended the motion moved by Hon. Satomi Ahmed on behalf other 10 Borno State lawmakers on the floor. Instead of the president’s summon, the motion asked for the president to declare a state of emergency on security matters.
But another Borno lawmaker, Hon. Ahamdu Jaha protested that the original motion to which all the lawmakers agreed on was to call on the President to address them on the security situation especially in the north east region. His amendment got the support of the House. But the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila said it was not necessary, stressing that the State of emergency prayer sufficed. The lawmakers however rejected the submission of Gbajabiamila and the appeal of the majority leader of the House, Ado Doguwa.
The Speaker then abruptly ended the plenary and called for an executive session to resolve the matter after the lawmakers insisted that the president be summoned to address them.
“Hon. Colleagues, I am a little bit disappointed with a lot of these no, no. This is not the spirit with which we started this 9th Assembly. We will go into executive session to resolve this matter”, Gbajabiamila said
