We didn’t apologise to Buhari over summon –Reps

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives, yesterday, said it did not apologise to President Muhammadu Buhari over its invitation to him to address the House over rising insecurity across the country.

The House in a statement by the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Benjamin Kalu, said it could not have apologised as neither Buhari nor the Presidency demanded an apology from the parliament for doing its job.

“The President or the Presidency as the case may be, never sought for an apology from the House of Representatives for carrying out her constitutional responsibility to the Nigerian electorate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the House never apologized to anyone for exercising her constitutional mandate and the 9th Assembly of the House of Representatives under the leadership of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila will not do anything to desecrate or destroy the critical institution of democracy – the Legislature.

“ We strongly believe that President Muhammadu Buhari subscribes to these democratic ethos and ideals as well,” Kalu said.

The House, in the aftermath of the killing of 43 farmers in Borno State, by insurgents, had invited President Buhari to appear before it to explain government efforts to tackle the security challenges in the country, especially in the North East.

However, the President, who had earlier accepted to honour the invitation, failed to show on the scheduled date. They have also not been any official communication from the Presidency to the House on the botched appearance.