President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday chose to obey the legal advice of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN, ignoring the invitation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly on security matters in the country. The presidency had indicated the President Buhari will on Thursday honour the invitation of the House before Malami issued a statement on Wednesday that the National Assembly has no constitutional power to summon the president.
Accordingly, President Buhari shunned the invitation of the House of Representatives to address them on the security situation in the country, the Houser plenary commenced on Thursday in his absence.
The House of Representatives had on December 1st passed a resolution requesting President Buhari to brief the House on the true state of the security situation in the country.
The resolution was passed after considering a motion by the House members from Borno State on the massacre of 43 rice farmers by Boko Haram terrorists.
It will be recalled that the Personal Assistant on Social Media to President Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, had on Monday said that the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly on December 10.
A lawmaker from Rivers State, Solomon Bob, had on Thursday acknowledged the absence of the President, raising a point of order on the President’s shunning of the invitation, and demanding briefing from the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila said the House will wait for official communication from the President.