Reps Threaten To Arrest FCT Minister For Ignoring Summons

The House of Representatives has expressed anger as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, failed to honour the invitation extended to him by the lawmakers.

The failure of the minister to honour the summons has led to the House of Representatives threatening to arrest him.

The House of Representatives had summoned the minister on the growing insecurity and infrastructural decay in the nation’s capital.

The House had unanimously adopted a motion moved by the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu, which was titled, ‘Urgent need to arrest the fast deterioration of the Federal Capital Territory.’

When asked about the invitation to the minister, Kalu stated that Bello was bound by the Constitution to honour the summons.

He said, “When heads of MDAs are invited and they fail to attend, there is a provision of the law that allows us to invoke certain powers to compel them to attend, and we are open to invoking such laws against anybody. The law says anybody – any person…Sections 88 and 89.

“If we want to investigate something, we have the right to call anybody and request for any document.

“Probably he sent a letter, taking excuse, which the House is also bound to look at as long as it is a reasonable excuse. And thereafter, they will invoke, if the excuses are found not to be cogent enough to address the concerns of Nigerians.

“The FCT is a very important location and destination, it is the seat of power of Nigeria. So, a concern about the capital territory is a concern in the right direction.”