Posted by By DAVID MOLOMO, Yola on
Adamawa State House of Assembly has summoned Brigadier-General Buba Marwa to the floor of the house over a media statement credited to him considered to be injurious to the integrity and reputation of the Assembly.
Adamawa State House of Assembly has summoned Brigadier-General Buba Marwa to the floor of the house over a media statement credited to him considered to be injurious to the integrity and reputation of the Assembly.
The general was said to have been quoted in the media as saying that the Adamawa State sanitation law was given accelerated passage, effective from May 7, to coincide with his official declaration for the People's Democratic Party in Yola.
On the strength of the media report, the House passed a resolution, demanding an apology from the General on alleged libel, sedition and injury to the House of Assembly.
The House had on Thursday invoked sections 128 and 129, sub-section C of the 1999 Constitution, summoning the presidential aspirant to the House to authenticate the alleged claim that the passage of the Adamawa State Sanitation Law never passed through processes required by legislative proceedings.
Reacting to the said resolution, a member of the House who is also a legal practitioner, Hon. Vidiyeno Bamaiyi described the action as ultra vires as the House has no constitutional right to summon Marwa as the quoted section 128 and 129, sub-section C have no bearing to the person of Marwa.
The said section of the 1999 Constitution could only be relevant if Marwa was summoned to facilitate findings of the House on fundamental issues that have bearing to legislative proceedings or if his presence would assist the House to expose corruption.
Bamaiyi who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Information stated that the House dabbled into area which is technical in nature, requiring the expertise of a legal practitioner to guide it aright on how best to handle the alleged libelous statement credited to the retired General.
He explained that if the House had acted in good faith it should have solicited the advice of the Director (Legal) of the House or an external solicitor to give technical advise as a legal practitioner on the retainership of the Assembly.