Hon. Benjamin Kalu has been cautioned to desist from his tacit and implicit support for a person who has been accused of supporting or has promoted terrorist ideologies in the past. A group, Concerned Citizens Against Terrorism (CCAT) said that Hon. Benjamin Kalu’s misrepresentation of facts in the effort to deny the Hosue of Representatives its constitutional rights of passing a resolution that will mandate the executive to sack Pantani, that the attempt by Kalu to stall the process by misinformation amounts to acts of supporting and promoting terrorism and by implication makes him, Kalu an accomplice.
The group observed in its statement in Abuja on Sunday after it reviewed the position of the House of Representative caused to which disclosures were made to the effect that Hon. Ndudi Elumelu had sort to present a motion under the accepted rules of the house but to which Hon. Kalu as spokesman of the House attempted to misrepresent.
A statement signed by Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo, Spokesman, Minority Caucus, House of Representatives stated;
“It is instructive to state that the motion by the Minority Leader calling for the resignation or sack of the Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari was properly presented under the House rules as provided in Order 6: 1,2&3 (Privileges) contrary to claims by Hon. Kalu.
“Order 6:1,2,3 clearly and generously provides for a full debate on the issue brought pursuant to it.
“For the avoidance of doubt, while sub-section 2 of the Order 6 provides that “whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be taken into consideration immediately”, subsection 3 is clear in providing that whenever a matter of privilege arises, it shall be disposed of and no other issue shall be considered until “the debate on a motion thereon” is adjourned….”.
“Moreover, it is clear that the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila conceded to the appropriateness of the Order under which the Minority Leader presented his motion, and for that did not rule him out of order, regarding the presentation of the motion and its consequential prayers.
“Furthermore, the Hon. Speaker in accepting the motion announced that the issues raised have been noted.
“It is therefore completely irresponsible for anybody, let alone the spokesperson of the House who should be abreast of the Rules to state that the Minority Leader ought to have known better than coming under Order 6. His statement is therefore in bad faith and should be disregarded and withdrawn by him immediately.
“Our Caucus will not condone any unwarranted attack on any of our colleagues let alone the Minority Leader who is doing very well by speaking the mind of the silent majority of Nigerians who have no platforms to speak out.
“In any case, we are aware that Hon. Kalu was not in Plenary when the motion was moved. We expected him to have consulted the Rule book before attacking the Minority Leader. For we believe if he had done that, he would have saved the 9th House of Representatives the embarrassment his statement has caused!”
