Senate President says ministers who disregard lawmakers have no place in government

By Kasim Isa Muhammad

Kanempress News

20th December 2024

Ministers who refuse to honour National Assembly invitations have no place in President Bola Tinubu’s government.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said this to President Bola Tinubu during a joint session of the National Assembly where he presented the 2025 budget proposal of N49.7trillion.

Leaders of the National Assembly had consistently raised concerns that some ministers and heads of government agencies do not honour invitations to clarify issues in their areas of jurisdiction.

But Akpabio said the National Assembly symbolises democracy, stressing that the refusal of some ministers to honour its invitations show that they are not democrats.

“They (ministers) should know that every invitation is constitutional and we also have constitutional powers to take further action when they refuse to appear,” he said.

“Mr President may wish to caution some of the ministers who do not give respect to this hallowed chamber,” Akpabio said.

“Those who disregard invitations from the National Assembly are not democrats and therefore have no place in your government,” Akpabio concluded.