Insecurity: Buhari shouldn’t appear before Reps – Sagay

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof
has thrown his weight behind the position expressed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, that the House of Representatives cannot invite the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to appear before it.

Sagay said it was ambitious for the lawmakers to “summon” the President, adding that it was against protocol for the National Assembly to invite the leader of the country.

The House of Representatives had on December 1 passed a resolution that the President should be invited to address them over the security situation in the country. The Speaker, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, who visited the Presidential Villa on December 2 to convey the resolution to the President, told State House Correspondents that the President agreed to appear before them.

But barely 24 hours to the President’s planned appearance before the lawmakers, Malami said the House of Representatives operated outside its constitutional bounds, a view that has attracted divers views from lawyers.

In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday, Sagay said, “In my view, the NASS cannot compel the President to come and address them. I agree with the view of the AGF, although the reasons he gave are not the appropriate reasons. The constitution has clearly stated the circumstances in which public officers can be invited.

“The only time the President is expected to come to the National Assembly is when he is presenting budget, there is no other provision anywhere, which requires him to go to the National Assembly. Punch