The House of Representatives on Monday threatened to invoke the relevant sections of the Nigerian constitution to deal with heads of government agencies that has formed the habit of disregarding invitations from the parliament.
The House adhoc committee investigating the management of recovered loots by government agencies made the threat at its resumed sitting, insisting that disregard to invitations from the parliament was a direct insult on the institution of the National Assembly.
However, a member of the Committee, Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun), said the parliament must find a way of causing heads of government agencies to respect invitations from the National Assembly or shut down.
Ibrahim said the lawmakers have no business being in the parliament if agencies of government who are creations of the parliament refuse to respect the institution that created them.
Chairman of the Committee, Adejoro Adeogun who was disappointed by the action of the agencies however said the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of NIMASA has between Monday and Thursday to appear before the committee.
He said, “This Committee has passed a motion that the governor of CBN, Inspector General of Police, the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of NIMASA have between now and Thursday to appear before this Committee. Otherwise, the parliament will invoke its powers to deal with them according to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“I am appalled by the actions of the agencies because it is indirectly insulting the National Assembly, not my person and I need you to communicate that to the Heads of the agencies that it is not the Chairman of the committee that you are being impolite to.
“I don’t want to use the word insult or rude. Your indirect action is undermining the entire parliament, not just the House of Representatives, but the entire institution of the National Assembly and that will not be taken by this parliament.”
The committee Chairman had told the representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria and NIMASA that since they had no letter from the heads of the agencies to appear before the committee, the parliament regards them as impersonators.
