Buhari won’t resign, says Lai Mohammed

By Henry Omunu

President Muhamadu Buhari will next week Thursday brief the House of Representatives on the state of the nation’s security against the backdrop of last weekend’s killing of 43 rice farmers in Borno State.

The House had on Tuesday at plenary invited Buhari to brief it on the security situation in the country after it had adopted a motion condemning and seeking the investigation of the killing of the rice farmers. Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila who led the House leadership to a meeting with Buhari on Wednesday, had informed State House reporters that the President had agreed to brief the House.

But, addressing journalists on Thursday, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep. Benjamin Kalu confirmed that the President is expected at the House next Thursday or the Tuesday after. Rep. Kalu said: “So security is top most on his agenda at the moment and that’s why in the course of next week since we just finished today, I’m sure he will be able to adjust his programmes.

I know Tuesday may not be feasible because we have NEC meeting. So we are looking at Thursday or upper Tuesday; the date is not yet definite. “As the Speaker said yesterday, it will be out of place since we were not summoning; when you summon you give date and time.

But, this is back channel diplomacy, legislative diplomacy. We are not compelling, we are inviting, and when you invite you rub minds to find out the availability of the person you’re inviting.

“That was what the leadership did yesterday. They engaged with Mr. President and instead of mandating him to appear on a particular-day, they rubbed minds on when it will be convenient for him to appear and he accepted.

“We have an estimate of when we think it’s going to be. In every matter of urgent public importance, time is of the essence and based on that and in the wisdom of the President he’s not delaying but prioritizing on it.”

Responding to questions on the constant calls for the sacking of service chiefs, the lawmaker said: “The service chiefs will be one of the issues the House will discuss with the President.

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“We are looking for solutions. It’s not about the visit of the President; it’s about solution seeking mechanism.

We are looking for strategies that will help us find solutions. The visit of the President happens to be one of them. “What will it afford the House?

What we want from him is to do an analysis of the security sector. Mr. President what are your strengths so far, your weaknesses.

We think these are your weaknesses, if we believe that not changing the service chiefs is a weakness we will mention it as well.

Mr President what are your threats, how can we help with this your threats, to covert them to opportunities.”