By: Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed
The Nigerian Senate has knocked down the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), over his declarative commentary on the revised Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
As seen on his interview with Channels Tv, Malami openly declared that he would oppose the revised Electoral Bill if its provisions were based on selfish ideas.
The minister also claimed that even President Muhammadu Buhari would not assent to the document if it was considered to contain the egocentric interests of members of the National Assembly.
He noted during the interview that the electoral bill arrived not so long on Monday in his office for legal advice.
In utter reaction to the Malami’s declaration, the Spokesperson of the Senate, Senator Senator Ajibola Basiru on Thursday, decried the comments made by him and added that the minister could not speak for the President on institutional matters like the electoral bill in his interview with the Punch News.
Basiru said the Senate will ignore the minister’s comments, saying that the Red Chamber will only reply to the President, who is the head of the Executive.
The minister boasted that the National Assembly is not on the same level as the minister, adding that the legislature is an organ of the Nigerian government.
He stated that: “I cannot be responding to Malami. Let the President talk and we will respond (to Buhari). I represent an institution, which is the National Assembly. We are not on the same par. If the President speaks, then we can respond as an institution.
“There are three arms of government: the executive headed by the President; the National Assembly (legislature), and the judiciary. I speak on behalf of the Senate, which is an institution, so I can’t be responding to an appointee of the President; I can’t be responding to Malami.
“We can only respond to correspondence from the President and authenticated by him (Buhari); we cannot be responding to an appointee of the President. We are an institution.”
About The Reporter
Mohammed Oluwatimileyin Taoheed is an avid reporter based in the North, currently the National Correspondent for Track News Nigeria.
