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Should he fail to appear before members of the Kogi State House of Assembly next week Thursday, the Commissioner for Finance may be risking a warrant of arrest issued in his name, Asiru Idris.
This was a threat by the House, following a motion by the Chairman, House Special Committee on Public Account, Collins Musa on the need to compel the commissioner to appear before the house.
Musa, who is representing Igalamela Odolu Constituency, reported to the House that the said that the Finance commissioner has constantly disregarded the call of the house and if he failed to appear, a warrant of arrest will be issued on him.
“The Committee had invited the Commissioner, the invitation duly served, but refused without a word to the Committee to appear before the Committee. In return, he invited the Committee to a meeting at the Revenue House and, thereon, the Committee made demands of specific evidence under its consideration of the Report by the State Auditor General on the Audited. Accounts of the State.
“The Rt. Hon. Speaker and distinguished Hon Colleagues, it is now over 6 months, the Commissioner has neither replied nor availed the Committee with the evidence required for further consideration of the Report by the State Auditor General.
“I, therefore, move that the Hon. Commissioner, by the powers, confers on this State House of Assembly, be compelled firstly by the Resolution of this House to appear before the Committee and secondly upon his failure to act accordingly, be compelled through the issuance of Warrant in line with Section 129 (1) (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended to appear accordingly”.
In unanimous support by the lawmakers, the commissioner’s decision not to honour the invitation of the committee is an affront to the house.
The speaker, Prince Matthew Kolawole in his ruling said the house has the right by the law to invite anyone and as such, the commissioner is not exempted from those the house can invite.
Kolawole, however, directed the Clerk to communicate the commissioner to appear before the house in its next legislative sitting.
