The Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has appealed to all the ministers to always respect invitations of the House.
Gbajabiamila made the appeal at the plenary on Tuesday while ruling on a Motion of Urgent Matter of Public Importance that borders on the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
The Speaker said the House Committee on Foreign Affairs had invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs to brief the committee on the true state of Nigerians in South Africa with regard to the xenophobia attacks.
The lawmaker said that the minister had consistently failed to appear, even when the leadership of the House wrote to invite him over.
According to him, it is only when the committee or the leadership see the facts that we can actually address the issues properly.
“It is unfortunate that on all those occasions, the minister has not responded to the chairman’s invitation.
“I believe we are one government and I believe we are here to serve the interest on Nigerians.
“Let use this platform to send a direct appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affair, and all the ministers for that matter, that we need to respect the invitation that comes from this House,” he said.