BY: AYOMIDE AROWOBUSOYE
The House of Representatives today denied apologising to President Muhammadu Buhari for summoning him for questioning over the security challenges the country is facing.
The President at first accepted the invitation of the house, but made a u-turn following advice from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami that the house had no constitutional power to invite him.
Few days down the line, some news outfits reported that the lawmakers tendered an apology to the president for inviting him in the first instance.
In a statement signed by the Official Spokesperson, Benjamin Kalu, the house refuted these claims stating that the presidency neither sought an apology nor was any tendered.
The full statement reads:
“It has come to the knowledge of the House that few sections of the media reported that the House apologized to the President, over the resolution of the House which arose from the motion sponsored by members from Borno State for the invitation of the President to brief the nation on the state of Insecurity in the country.
“The president or the Presidency as the case may be, never sought (for) an apology from the House of Representatives for carrying out her Constitutional responsibility to the Nigerian electorate
“Where then did the media get the report that the House, as an institution, apologised to anyone?
“For the avoidance of doubt, the House never apologised to anyone for exercising its Constitutional mandate and the 9th Assembly of the House of Representatives will not do anything to desecrate or destroy the critical institution of democracy – the Legislature.
“We strongly believe that President Muhammadu Buhari subscribes to these democratic ethos and ideals as well” he said.
