Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) has faulted the National Assembly over some impeachable issues raised against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Malami bared his mind while featuring on a Channels TV programme, “The Core”, anchored by Kadaria Ahmed declaring that any lawmaker accused of any wrongdoing must be investigated by the appropriate agency.
The AGF said instead of the National Assembly challenging Buhari on insecurity and unemployment, it should realise that it failed to pass the 2018 budget on time.
“Issues were raised by the National Assembly during their session that they think constituted perhaps misconduct, but then within the context of the issues raised, we need to reassess them,” he said.
“Let us take, for example, the issue of insecurity or perhaps the issue that borders on unemployment, among others.
“For the past seven months, for example, the Executive placed the budget before the National Assembly for passage. For instance, you have around N1 trillion that was intended to address insecurity but it has just been passed.
“On unemployment, over N900 billion was embedded in the budget and meant for social investment programme of the Federal Government.
“Within seven months period, senators, for instance, were taking over N3 billion as wages within the seven months while the social security investment meant for the masses was not attended to.”
On the allegations against some members of the National Assembly by the police and security agencies, Malami said.
He added: “My immediate reaction to it is that you have to look at the issues and not the personalities. The time is right in this country when we have to start separating individuals from the institutions.
“Fundamental issues of consideration when an allegation is made is whether there is indeed an issue or not.
“If, for instance, someone is alleged to have committed an offence and there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, there should be investigation.
“Are we now saying that simply because he belongs to the legislature, Senate or House of Representatives, he should not be investigated simply because he belongs to that institution?”
