PDP Intervenes in President’s Summon by House

02 Jul 2012

PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur 

By Chuks Okocha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has waded into the House of Representatives’ summons to President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before it with his security team to explain efforts being made to check insecurity in the country.

THISDAY gathered that the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has initiated moves to persuade the House to rescind its decision, which the party believes could send the wrong signals on the working relationship between the legislature and presidency.

The House had on June 19 summonsed the president to appear before it, alongside the service chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to brief members on the difficulties tackling insecurity in the country, especially in the North where Boko Haram has unleashed a reign of terror that has claimed over 1,600 lives this year alone.

But the House did not give a specific date for the president to appear before it.

However, some of the president’s aides, including the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi, have criticised the House’s action, saying it lacked the powers to do so.

In a bid to resolve the controversy, Tukur, at the weekend, visited the State House where he met some principal aides of the president on the matter.

He has also directed his Special Adviser on National Assembly, Hon. Abduallahi Gumel, to reach out to vocal members of the House as a way of amicably resolving the controversy.

It was gathered that Tukur was of the view that since the House is dominated by PDP lawmakers, there is a need to interface with both sides in order to stem the worsening of ties between the House and the presidency.

A source, quoting Tukur, said: “The presidency and the National Assembly are children of the same parents—the PDP— and therefore there would be no need for antagonism between both children of the same parents.”

According to the source, the party would not watch and see the relationship between the National Assembly and presidency become frosty, given the fact that the party controls both arms of government.

THISDAY learnt that Tukur would soon meet with the PDP caucus in the House to address the issue.
It was gathered that the matter was being handled discreetly to avoid the misinterpretation of the party’s gesture as interference in the discharge of the House’s responsibilities.

When contacted, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, declined comments, but said: “The matter is being handled at the appropriate quarters.”

SOURCE: ThisDay, 3 July 2012. http://www.thisdaylive.com