The Nigerian House of Representatives said the invitation extended to President Muhammadu Buhari was not aimed at ridiculing him over security matters.
Rep. Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson for the House, said this while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, that the President was rather invited for engagement with the house on ways to address security challenges in the country.
This was as Buhari , Thursday, failed to honour the invitation by the House of Representatives.
It would be recalled that the President had expressed his willingness to appear before the House while responding to the invitation to him last week to address Nigerians on the growing insecurity in the country.
The House of Representatives had on December 1, summoned the President over the rising insecurity in the country, particularly the slaughtering of 43 rice farmers in Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents.
However, Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, (SAN), had said on Wednesday that the National Assembly lacked the powers to summon the President to speak on security matters.
Kalu said that the idea of the invitation was to have a feedback mechanism on security situation in the country, adding that the partnership established by the 9th assembly with the executive would be sustained.
He, however, said that since Nigeria was operating a democracy hinged on party supremacy, the president can decide to follow the advice of his part on any issue.
“The President is not more powerful than the party, but if he took a decision and his party took another, he must oblige the party,” he said.
Kalu said that the house did not act in error by inviting the president, adding that the house had the right to investigate issues bothering the country. (NAN)
