Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation, has said the National Assembly lacks the power to invite President Muhammadu Buhari, to speak on security matters.
Malami, who is also the Minister of Justice, said this in a statement titled, ‘Buhari’s Summon: NASS Operates Outside Constitutional Bounds’ on Wednesday.
The House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, had last week invited Buhari over the rising insecurity and the killing of over 43 farmers in Borno State.
Malami responding to the summons said security matters remained the exclusive preserve of the executive arm of government.
“As the Commander-in-Chief, the President has exclusivity on security and has confidentiality over security.
“These powers and rights he does not share.
“So, by summoning the President on national security operational matters, the House of Representative operated outside constitutional bounds,” the statement read in part.
Malami also said Buhari can freely address the National Assembly when he wants, but could not be summoned to do so.
He added: “The right of the President to engage the National Assembly and appear before it is inherently discretionary to the President and not at the behest of the National Assembly.”
An aide to the President, Lauretta Onochie, had also revealed that Buhari would appear before a joint session of the National Assembly on Thursday. However, reports began to filter in on Tuesday that the President had decided not to attend the meeting any longer.
The AGF said security matters remained the exclusive preserve of the executive arm of government and the National Assembly must not forget this.
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