SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has decided to summon Abubakar Malami, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and Solomon Arase, Inspector General of Police (IGP), over the counter-directive to re-open Kogi State House of Assembly complex.
The House which resumed plenary, on Tuesday, after two weeks of recess insists that the duo should appear before the 22-member Adhoc Committee chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Majority Leader.
The House and the Senate had in March 2016 passed separate resolutions to take over the legislative functions of the Kogi State House of Assembly as a result of the crisis that trailed the impeachment of the speaker by five members.
The House then directed the IGP to shut down the complex pending the restoration of law and order.
Worried by the media report credited to the AGF, the House inaugurated a 20-member Adhoc Committee chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, to investigate the role of the AGF and IGP and report back to the House within two weeks.
In his contribution, Hon. Pally Iriase, who led the House delegation on fact finding to Kogi State Assembly, disclosed that there was no subsisting Court injunction as claimed by the AGF while Gbajabiamila explained that the House derived its powers from sections 11, 96 and 100 of the Constitution.
He noted that the directive of the AGF to re-open the state assembly was deficient and supportive of breakdown of law and order in the Kogi State Assembly.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara described the AGF statement as “sensitive matters that should be treated with seriousness.”
“I’m in doubt whether the Attorney General as the Custodian of the law of this country, authored the letter,” as he urged members to give the AGF fair hearing.
Story by David Oputah
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