REPS DENY SUMMONING LIBYAN ENVOY

By NBF NEWS

By Ini Ekott
March 25, 2010 04:58AM
Halims Agoda who last week sponsored the motion for the recall of the Nigeria's ambassador to Libya has denied knowledge of summons of the Libyan envoy to Nigeria. Photo: SUNDAY ADEDEJI

Two members of the House of Representatives have denied knowledge of summons of the Libyan envoy to Nigeria, said to have been invited by the House in the aftermath of Mr. Gaddafi's call for Nigeria's split.

After Mr. Gaddafi's comments last week, the House, as part of a series of resolutions last week, had urged the Federal Government to recall Nigeria's envoy to Libya for consultations, while his Libyan counterpart to Nigeria was due to be summoned to the House, in protest.

Umar Bature, whose Foreign Affairs committee was expected to conduct the planned talks with the envoy, and Halims Agoda, the sponsor of the last Thursday's motion, said they were unaware of such invitations to the Libyan Ambassador, although it has been widely reported by the media.

Mr. Bature (PDP, Sokoto State), responded to inquiries by NEXT on the date of such summons, saying, “To my knowledge, there is no such invitation.” He said the House “only” condemned the comments of Mr. Gaddafi, without enlisting further prayers.

Mr. Agoda, the House Air Force committee chairman, said although they resolved to do more than “condemn” Mr. Gaddafi's controversial remarks, the prayers excluded summons on the envoy.

“We urged the Federal Government to recall Nigeria's ambassador for consultations which it has done, and also to liaise with the African Union to investigate the link between the comments and the source of the infiltrators who have been killing our people,” he said.

No formal rebuttal
During last Thursday's session, Mr. Agoda, who sponsored the original motion, had called for the condemnations on Mr. Gaddafi's remark and the investigations on the source of the attackers in recent violence in Jos, Plateau State.

However, during the debate carried live on national television, other members amended part of the prayers and called for the recall of Nigerian ambassador to Libya and the summoning of Libyan envoy to Nigeria.

The House has made no formal rebuttal of the decision, even after wide media reportage. Many of its resolutions sponsored by members have been seen as largely routine and bearing no enforcement. According to the House Legislative compliance committee, the level of adherence to such adoptions, particularly by the executive arm, exceeds a little above 30 per cent by June 2009.

If last week's resolutions are listed in the Votes and Proceedings, the denials by the members will highlight such low compliance, which at times, even the sponsoring members are accused of.