The House of Representatives has raised the alarm over what it called “unprecedented, severe and sustained” attacks on the independence of the National Assembly by the Executive arm of government, even as it condemned the continuous disregard of the constitutionally binding decisions of the House regarding the Kogi State House of Assembly.
Consequently, the House strongly urged President Muhammadu Buhari, who it said has sworn to an oath to defend and protect the Constitution, to prevail on the members of the Executive arm of government to desist from taking steps that will cripple the National Assembly including the prosecution of the Senate presiding officers over alleged forgery of the Senate Rules.
The House also urged the Executive arm of government to abide by the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in all respects.
The resolution followed the unanimous adoption of a motion sponsored under matters of urgent national importance pursuant to Order 8, Rule 46 and 49 of the House Standing Orders tagged “Urgent Need to Safeguard the Nation’s Democracy and Protect the Integrity and Independence of the National Assembly” by Hon. Yusuf Ayo Tajudeen (PDP, Kogi) at plenary yesterday.
While moving the motion, Hon. Tajudeen noted that the 1999 Constitution guarantees the independence of the Legislature with powers to regulate its own proceedings.
He recalled that after exhaustive consideration, the House validly exercised its constitutional powers to take over the functions of the Kogi State House of Assembly, only for the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to unilaterally countermand the resolution of the House.
Credit: Leadership
