Reps blame AGF for FG’s non compliance with NASS’s resolutions

ABUJA—THE House of Representatives has accused the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF, Abubakar Malami, of being responsible for the federal government’s non-compliance with some of the resolutions made by the National Assembly. Abubakar Malami (SAN) . Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-Jev, APC-Benue, made the allegation, weekend, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on the legislative activities of the 8th House in its one year anniversary. But he also stated that the House recorded an improved executive compliance to resolutions in its first legislative year, unlike the past when public officers demonstrated poor compliance to implementation of resolutions by securing restraining orders from courts. He pointed out that in the past, some resolutions passed by the legislature were ignored by serving ministers or members of the executive arm of government. He said instead of the executive members obeying the resolutions of the National Assembly, they would prefer to proceed to the court to get a restraining order or run to the Presidency for protection. He, however, blamed the serving AGF for non-compliance of some of the resolutions of the National Assembly, such as the resolution on Kogi State, on the AGF, stressing that instead of the Attorney General to advise the Presidency accordingly on some of the resolutions, he would do the contrary. He said: “Unfortunately, it is those we expect should know better that fail to comply with the resolutions. You have the Attorney General of the Federation who advised against the implementation of the resolution of the National Assembly when the House took a resolution that Kogi Assembly be closed as a result of the crisis there. “The Inspector General complied, unfortunately the advice came thereafter and it was opened up. People know that this is a democracy and it must be respected, things will get better but for now, I think it is a learning process.” Orker-Jev disclosed that in the first one year of the 8th House, a total of 530 motions were introduced, 63 passed as resolutions, 20 withdrawn, 446 referred to committees and one deferred.