NATIONAL: We didn’t apologise for inviting Buhari — Reps

THE House of Representatives has denied apologising to President Buhari for inviting him to address Nigerians on the growing insecurity in the country.

Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, issued the denial in a statement on Monday, titled ‘Clarification on Apology to the Presidency.’

The statement was in reaction to a report in the media that the House had backtracked on its initial decision to invite Buhari to address Nigerians following the killing of 43 rice farmers in Borno by Boko Haram terrorists which heightened the spate of insecurity rocking the country.

The report said members of the green house took the decision because the invitation had statd assuming ethnic colourant.

The Speaker of the lower chamber had said the President agreed to honour the invitation on Dec.10.

But on December 9, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the National Assembly lacked the powers to summon the President to speak on security matters.

Buhari eventually did not appear before the National Assembly and has not given any reason for reneging on his promise.

The report that was widely circulated yesterday, however, added that the sponsors of the motion calling for Buhari’s invitation had eaten the humble pie.

Kalu, however, faulted the claims in the report.

The statement read, “It has come to the knowledge of the House that few sections of the media reported that the House apologized to the Presidency over the resolution of the House which arose from the motion sponsored by members from Borno State, requesting 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 apologise to anyone? Media professionals are advised to uphold the ethics of their profession.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the House never apologised to anyone for exercising her constitutional mandate and the 9th Assembly of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila will not do anything to desecrate or destroy the critical institution of democracy – the Legislature. We strongly believe that President Muhammadu Buhari subscribes to this democratic ethos and ideals as well.”