Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan acted unconstitutionally by summoning some Borno State government officials over the abduction of more than 200 school girls in Chibok, a member of the House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said.
Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa, who is the Chairperson of the House Committee on Diaspora, was reacting to last week’s summoning of Borno State Police Commissioner and the governor’s wife as well as the school principal to the State House, Abuja by Mrs. Jonathan.
The lawmaker noted that the first lady lacked the constitutional powers to summon any public officer.
Addressing journalists shortly after yesterday’s plenary, Dabiri-Erewa said: “it is unthinkable that a first lady could summon a Commissioner of Police.
“That office is not recognized by the constitution. Summoning public officials like a Commissioner of Police goes beyond the powers of the first lady. It’s like summoning the IGP (Inspector General of Police). She has gone beyond the limit of that office”, Dabiri-Erewa added.
She also faulted Monday’s reported arrest of some women who came out to protest against the abduction of the school girls in Chibok, Borno State on April 14.
While describing the arrest as “unreasonable”, the journalist-turned politician said: “Let us stop the harassment of the Nigerian women because nothing will stop the Nigerian women until these girls are back”.
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