Buhari and Gbajabiamila

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Monday thrashed reports that it apologised to President Muhammadu Buhari for inviting him to address the lower chamber on rising insecurity in the country.

The House of Representatives had invited Buhari to address the House after Boko Haram killed 43 rice farmers in Borno State.

Buhari, who promised to appear before the House later made a u-turn and never showed up.

However, the House of Representatives, in a statement on Monday said it had come to its knowledge that a few sections of the media reported that the House apologised to the presidency over the resolution of the House which arose from the motion sponsored by members from Borno State, requesting an invitation of the president to brief the nation on the state of insecurity of the country.

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“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.

“Where then did the media get the report that the House as an institution apologised to anyone? Media professionals are advised to uphold the ethics of their profession,” said the statement issued by Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson, House of Representatives.

The statement said for the avoidance of doubt, the House never apologised to anyone for exercising her constitutional mandate and that the 9th Assembly under the leadership of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila would not do anything to desecrate or destroy the critical institution of democracy-the legislature.

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