Presidency reacts after House of Reps summoned Buhari over Benue killings

The Presidency has reacted to the House of Representatives’ decision to summon President Buhari over Benue killings. 

During an interview with Channels News last night, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said his principal will respond appropriately when officially summoned by the House of Representatives.

Members of the House of Representatives decided to summon the Buhari in reaction to the continued killings in Benue and other parts of the country.

Asked if the President would appear before the lawmakers, Femi Adesina said the House had not communicated the summon to Buhari yet.

“It is a development that just happened and almost throughout the day we have been in the Federal Executive Council meeting. That meeting did not rise until after 5pm.

“So, it was after 5pm when I got back to my office that I saw that news scrolling on the television. That means that the President himself hadn’t heard of it at that time. So, when the lawmakers – the Houses of Representatives – communicate their decision to the President, it would be handled appropriately,” he said.

Although Adesina acknowledged “the right” of the lawmakers to summon “anybody to appear” before them, but he did not say whether the President would honour their summon if it is communicated to him.

“It is democracy in action. The House has the right to ask anybody to appear and the President is holding the position as a trust for Nigerians. It is the mandate of Nigerians that he is holding.

“But when they communicate that decision to him, he will respond accordingly. I can’t be talking of what he will do until that decision is communicated to him,” he said.