The House of Representatives has resolved to invite President Muhammadu Buhari, to address members of the plenary over the security crises across the country.
Earlier, plenary at the House of Representatives turned rowdy on Tuesday as members were sharply divided over a motion seeking to invite Buhari to appear before the lawmakers to explain the rising spate of insecurity in the country.
The House was considering a motion moved by members from Borno State on the recent massacre of 43 rice farmers in the state by Boko Haram insurgents.
Part of the prayers was to invite Buhari to appear on the floor of the House and address the lawmakers in plenary.
Efforts by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and Chairman, House Committee on Air Force, Shehu Koko, among others, to have the prayer dropped proved abortive.
Gbajabiamila’s plea that a state of emergency should be adopted instead was also rebuffed.
The speaker was forced to ask that the lawmakers have an executive (closed-door) session.
READ ALSO: PMB transmits 2021 finance bill to Reps
Members of the House of Representatives were divided at the plenary on whether or not to invite President Buhari to appear before them and offer an explanation on the true security situation of the country.
An earlier circulated motion had prayed for the invitation of the president.
However, the motion eventually moved by Honourable Satomi Ahmed on behalf other 10 Borno State lawmakers on the floor prayed for the president to amongst other things, declare a State of emergency on security matters.
The motion as presented didn’t go down well with another Borno lawmaker, Honourable Ahamdu Jaha, who relied on Order 6, Rule 1 of the House to say that the original motion to which all the lawmakers agreed on was to call on the President to address them on the security situation especially in the northeast region.
He, therefore, amended the prayers of the motion.
According to him, “my amendment is that Mr President should be invited to come and explain the security situation in the country especially in the northeast.”
The amendment got the support of the House.
However, Gbajabiamila had said it was not necessary, stressing that the state of emergency prayer sufficed.
This was however rejected by the House.
Similarly, the Majority Leader of the House, Ado Doguwa added his voice, saying that security issues can’t be discussed openly and pleading for the understanding of his colleagues not to summon the president.
His contribution was however greeted with a thunderous shout of No! No!! No!!!
Seeing the rising tension and the determination of the lawmakers, the Speaker suddenly called for an executive session to resolve the matter.
According to him, “Honourable Colleagues, I am a little bit disappointed with a lot of these no, no, no.
“This is not the spirit with which we started this 9th Assembly.
“We will go into executive session to resolve this matter.”
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va74ZvU2v1IqKByXoX3d
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
