When on Tuesday December 1, 2020, a motion came up on the floor of the House of Representatives over earlier weekends’ massacre of scores of rice farmers in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State, by gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, the drama started with disagreements over the propriety of the call for the invitation of President Muhammadu Buhari, to address the House on the security situation in Nigeria. JOSHUA EGBODO reviews issues around the summon
Controversy over call for the summon
The said motion was introduced under matters of urgent public importance by Hon. Ahmed Satomi on behalf of nine other of his colleagues from Borno state, on the need for the House “to condemn and investigate the insane killing of unarmed farmers in Jere Local Government of the state on Saturday” (November 28, 2020).
The presentation went normal until another member, who was part of sponsors of the motion, Hon. Usman Jaha raised a point of order under matters of privileges, drawing Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila’s attention to the fact that one of the key prayers of the motion was not read out while it was being presented by Satomi. “We, all the members from Borno state, sat together and agreed that all the prayers of the motion must remain as they are. We all agreed that Mr. President should be invited to come and explain the security situation in the country, especially the North East”, the lawmaker insisted.
Gradually, the plenary turned rowdy with members in agreement with the call pitched against those against it. It became a shouting bout, as even the Speaker’s appeal that one of the prayers that the President “declare a state of emergency over insecurity” was sufficient enough, could not rest the case. “We are discussing a security matter, and the channels through which such matters are discussed, does not involve inviting the President to come and disclose security strategies. That will be counterproductive”, the Speaker noted amidst shouts on “no” in opposition.
Jaha however insisted that unless it was the collective opinion of the 10 members from Borno state, who jointly sponsored the motion to step down the prayer, Buhari should be invited.
Stepping in, Majority leader of the House, Hon. Ado Doguwa toed the line of the Speaker’s earlier appeal, but was barely allowed to make his point amidst shouts of “no”, “no”, “no”. Chairman of the committee on Air Force, Hon. Shehu Koko was given the same treatment when he attempted to explain that there was no need to invite the president, as he was shouted down the most. Gbajabiamila thus immediately called for a closed door session, where he hoped all issues around it would be resolved. “Let me say this; I’m a little disappointed with the shouts of no. Let’s go into an executive session and resolve this matter”, the Speaker stated.
Finally, Buhari summoned
Back from the closed door session which lasted for about half an hour, it was obvious that the majority may have opted in support of the prayer. Jaha was called on by the Speaker to move the motion as an amendment to the original motion as presented on the floor, and the lawmaker said the House should invite Mr President to come and explain the security situation in the country, which was unanimously adopted through voice votes.
Speculations
With the resolution adopted, speculations were rife in the air whether the President will honour the invitation, flowing from past experiences. Buhari had during the 8th Assembly of the House snubbed a similar summon without any explanation whatsoever.
However, the House was to through its spokesman, Benjamin Kalu explained that the President snubbed the summon because the leadership was at war with him, expressing optimism that it would be a different case this time. Kalu argued before journalists covering the House that the House was optimistic that Mr. President would this time honour the invitation, stating that the past assembly held Buhar’s budget for six months, “because they were at war with him. Do you know what it means to hold someone’s budget for six months, and you are inviting the same man to come for consultation?”.
Later excitements
When news filtered in that through some “back entry diplomacy” by Speaker Gbajabiamila who reportedly led his deputy, Idris Wase and Majority Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa , that President Buhari’s commitment to honour the invitation had been obtained, it was an excitement galore.
“The whole House was happy, when it was announced that the president has expressed his desire to honour our invitation. We want to commend Mr President for believing in democracy…The partnership will be in the interest of Nigerians. The invitation is not to ridicule our president”, Kalu said while confirming that Gbajabiamila had secured the President’s consent to visit the House, though at the time, no date and time was known, and or fixed for the event Nigerians were so much anxiously expecting.
As further confirmation for the appearance was being expected, a boost came through the President’s Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie on Monday, who tweeted, giving assurance that the President will address Nigerians at a joint session of the National Assembly, specifically on Thursday, December 10, 2020. Curiously however, this did not come through any of the President’s well known official channels of passing such information.
AGF’s new twist
Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami however added a new twist to the planned appearance of Buhari, as he faulted the summon on grounds that the parliament lacked constitutional powers to extend such invitation to a sitting president, especially over such matters as security. This returned the speculations that the President may after all, not appear the following day as being highly expected.
Drama over non-appearance
True to many pundits’ prediction over the new twist from the AGF, there were no signs that the President would be making any physical appearance on Thursday. From the Senate, the argument was that the resolution was not a joint one, as it earlier passed its, calling on the President to sack the service chiefs. On the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, no mention was made of the President’s likely appearance the next, by Gbajabiamila
So when no signs or announcement was made on Thursday, to the effect that the president would be coming, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Rivers State, Hon. Solomon Bob raised a point of order, under matters of privilege, demanding explanations from the Speaker. “Last week, I recall that this House passed a resolution. Subsequently, I read that the president has considered our request”, he said, expressing surprise that the President later backed out.
But Gbajabiamila, responding, said “Honourable, your point of Privilege is well noted. We are waiting for official communications from Mr. President as opposed to newspaper publications”,, hit the gavel and moved on with the day’s proceedings.
House insists on power to summon
Addressing journalists later on Thursday after failure of the President to appear, spokesman of the House, Kalu who reiterated the speaker’s earlier position also stated that the House still believed in the integrity of the president’s commitment, until he forwards a communication stating otherwise.
He also faulted the position of Attorney General of the Federation, Malami on his assertion that the National Assembly lacks the constitutional powers to summon the president. “On whether we have the power, let’s leave the interpretation to be in the hands of the judiciary, but as a trained constitutional lawyer, I can assure you that the parliament did not act in error. There is a mandate, and that mandate is well expressed in sections 88, 89 (of the 1999 Constitution), which is to be read in conjunction, so the answer is yes. We have the power”, he stated.
Will Buhari appear?
Many at the moment are doubtful if the President will honour the call. Some say he may have innocently yielded before listening to his political advisers, thus, the backtrack. Speculations were also that he would be embarrassed in the chamber through booing and other manner of dissenting gestures, especially by opposition lawmakers.
That may be true, or as well false, but while confusion lasts in the parliament with no clear statement on whether there have been a complete change of mind on the initial agreement to appear, the President is currently in his home town of Daura, Katsina State on what has been termed a “private visit”. Nigerians are therefore waiting for the next line of action at his expected return to the seat of power.
