INSECURITY: Buhari Fails To Honour Reps’ Invitation

President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to appear before the House of Representatives to address the spate of insecurity ravaging the country as he had promised to do.

The House had summoned the president last week following debate on the killing of rice farmers in Borno State by Boko Haram.

The President had subsequently opted to speak to a joint session of the National Assembly (the Senate and House of Representatives),and raised public expectations.

Many had felt his appearance to brief the lawmakers would have giving the president opportunity to reassure Nigerians about the security situation of the country.

But a statement on Wednesday by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), indicated that the president may have changed his mind.

Malami stated that the National Assembly had no constitutional power to summon the President to explain security matters.

“An invitation that seeks to put the operational use of the Armed Forces to a public interrogation is, indeed, taking the constitutional rights of lawmaking beyond bounds.

“As the Commander in Chief, the President has exclusivity on security and has confidentiality over security.

“These powers and rights he does not share. So, by summoning the President on National Security operational matters, the House of Representatives operated outside constitutional bounds.

“President’s exclusivity of constitutional confidentiality, investiture within the context of the constitution remains sacrosanct,” he said.