Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has said certain parts of the constitution bar the Senate from asking the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it.
Falana also noted that these parts of the Constitution make it impossible for the National Assembly to summon the President or the Governor.
The IG was summoned over killings in some parts of the country, notably in the North Central states of Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa.
However, the legal icon told Channels TV that,“There is no such power given to NASS by the Constitution to summon everybody.
“It has given the President the discretion to address the National Assembly either jointly or separately on any matter of national importance.”
“The Senate didn’t get it right this time around. By virtue of Section 67 of the Constitution, the National Assembly or either chamber can summon a Minister when the affairs of his or her ministries are under consideration.
“The only other occasion where a public officer can be summoned by the National Assembly is when proceedings are ongoing to expose corruption (Section 88) and when a law is being debated either with a view to amending it or to have a new law entirely,” he noted.
