PFIPC: I Can Live Without Senate – Kawu Sumaila Responds To Calls For His Suspension

The lawmaker representing Kano South, Kawu Sumaila, has dismissed the threat of his suspension, saying he is ready to face any consequences.

Naija News reports that Sumaila stated this while responding to calls for his suspension over his motion seeking an investigation into alleged budget irregularities involving an agency linked to the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Addressing newsmen, he argued that his concern was not the creation of the agency but its inclusion in the national budget without what he described as proper legislative scrutiny.

According to Sumaila, the President has the constitutional power to establish agencies, but the National Assembly has the responsibility of scrutinising and approving budgetary allocations.

“My main concern is the budget. Mr president can constitute or can create an agency without the approval of the National Assembly constitutionally he is empowered to do so, therefore I am not more concerned about that one.

“What we are concerned about is who legalised the inclusion or who facilitated the inclusion of that agency in the national budget, which is our constitutional responsibility who came and defended that budget? Who is responsible in the National Assembly?” he asked.

Speaking further, he said, “I don’t know why you’re calling for suspension, suspend who? What is suspension? I can live without the senate, he is doing his work I am doing my own.

“I am a representative of the people, and I’ve said in my message, if the senate decides, I am okay if not…but the main thing is that as National Assembly, we must talk because the National Assembly is part of the problem and the President cannot do our work

Recall that the Senate on Wednesday rejected a proposal to launch a comprehensive investigation into the budgetary allocation, operations, and controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

The motion was moved by Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, who represents Kano South Senatorial District, during plenary.