By Egena Sunday Ode
As Nigerians continue to express concerns over the rising cases of violent attacks at political rallies and the newly introduced cash withdrawal limit by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),
President Muhammadu Buhari and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, met on Tuesday to discuss the issues.
Gbajabiamila told newsmen after the closed door meeting in the President’s office at the Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the session was a routine and meant to deliberate on key national issues which outcome.he did not reveal.
The Speaker distanced the House of Representatives from the ongoing controversy stirred by the member representing the Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi Federal Constituency, Hon. Gudaji Kazaure, over the alleged missing N89 trillion accruing from Stamp Duty.
Asked what mission he was in the State House to undertake, the Speaker said: “It’s the regular routine discussions on state matters, and of national interest. I haven’t seen the President in a little while. He’s been away. He just got back. Of course, also his birthday.
“But more importantly, we had to discuss issues surrounding state matters.
“Things have come up, you know, things have come up in the last few weeks. Things come up every day, Nigeria every day. And the last few days, some things have come up.
“I’m sure you know, some of these things. And I just wanted to get his perspective on them and give him mine and the National Assembly’s perspective and position on those matters. And we had a fruitful discussion.”
Asked what specific issues were discussed at the meeting, the Speaker stated: “Well, I wasn’t actually intending to talk to the press. It was just a discussion between the President and I but of course, there were issues around cashless policy, issues around elections and violence that seem to be erupting here and there and a couple of other very important matters as well.”
Fielding further questions, Gbajabiamila said that the House was not involved in the Stamp Duty controversy rocking the country because, according to him, Kazaure was working with his team independent of the Legislature,
He said: “Kazure, from my understanding he’s working with whoever he’s working with.
“If it necessitates the House coming in, we will come in. If he has an official function, he should go ahead and do his work. But this has nothing to do with the National Assembly. Not that I know of.”
Pressed further on whether the National Assembly was involved in the matter, the Speaker stressed: “No, no, no, no, no. It was not based on a resolution of the National Assembly. It was not based on a motion from the National Assembly. I believe he said he had the executive authority to do what he’s doing. If that be the case, I mean, then it’s got nothing to do with the National Assembly.”
On whether the House might call the Jigawa lawmaker to order, he said Kazaure has not impinged on the character of the House or its members to necessitate that.
Gbajabiamila said: “Well, the House can only call Kazure to order to the extent that he is impugning on the integrity of the House or individuals or leadership of the House that have nothing to do with what he’s doing.
“I think it’s important to separate the two. If he has a mandate to do something, that’s on him. When it came up, we had asked members of the executive, they said they were not aware of any mandate or such mandate has been withdrawn.
“I don’t want to get into it. I don’t want to get into it except to the extent that he tries to impugn on the integrity of members of the House. And that’s a no no, we have nothing to do with this.”
The Speaker said the House is going to pass the2023 budget on Thursday before embarking on Christmas break, adding, “Hopefully, when we come back in January, we’ll do some housecleaning matters.”
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