Respect Independence of State Legislature, Speakers Tell Reps C’ttee, Reject Summons
Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, yesterday, rejected recent summons by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, describing it as unconstitutional and an infringement on the autonomy of state legislatures.
The Chairman of the Conference, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, made this known in a statement in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The summons, directed at the Speakers of the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly, stemmed from a petition by a civil society group, Guardians of Democracy and the Rule of Law.
The Conference of Speakers insisted that the action amounted to an overreach of the National Assembly’s constitutional powers and posed a threat to Nigeria’s federal structure.
In a formal response addressed to the House Committee, the Conference of Speakers emphasised that the investigative and oversight powers granted to the National Assembly under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution were confined to federal matters.
It argued that state legislatures were constitutionally independent arms of government, and their presiding officers could not be summoned over internal legislative affairs unless such issues fell within federal jurisdiction.
Speakers of Benue and Zamfara State Assemblies also individually responded to the summons, echoing the Conference’s position.
They maintained that the matters referenced in the petition were strictly domestic and thus beyond the oversight reach of the National Assembly.
The Conference further warned that any attempt to interfere with the constitutional autonomy of state assemblies could set a dangerous precedent and erode the foundations of democracy at the sub-national level.
The conference, however, urged the National Assembly to honour the principle of separation of powers and to promote mutual institutional respect. It reaffirmed its commitment to good governance, transparency, and the rule of law across all levels of government.
