By Adesuwa Tsan
The House of Representatives has denied reports that it apologised to President Muhammadu Buhari for summoning him to appear before it to brief on insecurity in the country.
In a press statement titled ‘Clarification on Apology to the Presidency’, issued on Monday morning by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the House said the President never demanded for, nor did the Green Chamber offer any apology as an institution.
The statement read, “It has come to the knowledge of the House that few sections of the media reported that the House apologized to the Presidency over the resolution of the House which arose from the motion sponsored by members from Borno State, requesting for the invitation of the President to brief the nation on the state of insecurity in the country.
”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 apologized to anyone? Media professionals are advised to uphold the ethics of their profession.
”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.”