The House of Representatives’ scheduled Sectorial debate for today (Thursday) has been rescheduled because the Service Chiefs were unable to make it in person.
According to The PUNCH, the series is a component of the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas-led House’s efforts to strengthen its constitutional supervision of the executive branch of government, in keeping with the Monday-unveiled Legislative Agenda for the 10th Assembly.
The heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Department of Defense were among the service heads invited to speak on Thursday. The Inspector General of Police was also included.
But the military chiefs sent delegates instead of showing up in person, which enraged the lawmakers who arrived at the chambers in the early hours of the day.
The House of Representatives’ Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, alerted the members to the fact that the service chiefs were invited to attend in person rather than by proxy shortly after they had each given their introductions.
Then he made a motion, pleading with the House not to hear presentations from the military chiefs’ representatives.
Speaker Abbas sent the visitors on their departure while upholding the order and the motion. He also instructed the service chiefs to come before the house on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, so that the arguments could begin.
