Politics
IGP apologises to Reps for flouting Kogi Assembly closure order
The Inspector- General of the Police, IGP, Solomon Arase, has apologised to the House of Representatives over the flouting of its orders that the Kogi State House of Assembly be sealed.
Arase, who appeared before the House Ad Hoc Committee headed by the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, said he did not purposely ignore the directives of the House of Representatives to seal the House of Assembly.
According to him, what occurred was caused by misinformation, adding that it was not in his character to disobey laid down rules, constituted authority and powers of the National Assembly.
Continuing, the IGP said after he had given the order for closure of the Assembly, he directed that some of the security personnel at the complex be redeployed since only skeletal services were taking place at the complex.
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He said: “One of the areas of disagreement was that we were not able to distinguish who were the members and who were the staff of the Assembly and we didn’t want to stop the staff from going inside the complex.
“The day that they came to sit, it was an oversight. We shouldn’t have allowed them to do that.
“I am one person that from my pedigree, I hold great respect for constituted authority. I wouldn’t have done anything
deliberately to disobey the decision of this honorable House.
“I am aware of the constitutional authority of this House and wouldn’t have done anything to offend you people in any way.”
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who was also invited by the House to appear alongside the IGP, did not show up. He however sent his Special Assistant 1, Sylvester Imhanobe, to represent him.
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