The House of Representatives on Thursday took the decision to defer the scheduled Sectoral Debate, originally set to begin on the same day, citing the absence of the Service Chiefs in person as the primary reason for the delay.
The Sectoral Debate series is a component of the initiatives spearheaded by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to enhance the House’s constitutional oversight of the executive arm of government. This aligns with the Legislative Agenda for the 10th Assembly, officially launched on Monday.
The session, slated for Thursday, intended to feature the participation of key figures such as the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and the Inspector General of Police. Contrary to expectations, the service chiefs opted to send representatives, an action that displeased the lawmakers, many of whom had convened early in the day for the event.
Following the introduction of the representatives and the subsequent realization that the service chiefs were not present in person, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu raised a point of order. He drew attention to the fact that the service chiefs were specifically invited to appear in person, not through proxies. In response, he proposed a motion urging the House to reject presentations from the representatives.
With unanimous support for both the point of order and the motion, Speaker Abbas made the decision to dismiss the guests. He directed the service chiefs to attend the House on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, ensuring their personal presence for the commencement of the anticipated debates.