The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Governors of Benue and Zamfara States, Hyacinth Alia and Dauda Lawal, along with their respective State Houses of Assembly, to appear before it on Thursday, May 8.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Head of Media for the committee, Chooks Oko, the summons follows a petition submitted by a civil rights group, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law. The petition calls on the House of Representatives to assume the legislative functions of both state assemblies due to worsening insecurity in the two states.
The statement noted that both the executive and legislative arms of the two states are expected to justify why the National Assembly should not intervene by taking over their constitutional duties in light of the security crises.
Signed by the Committee Chairman, Mike Etaba, the summons affirms that the concerned parties are already aware of the issues being raised.
“Ours is to ensure that the rule of law is upheld at all times. The parties have a wonderful opportunity to state their cases clearly so that Nigerians can know what is going on. Anarchy would never be given any space in our polity,” the statement read.
ADEOLA KUNLE
