Members of the House of Representatives Thursday unanimously agreed to summon the Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Dr Peter Ekpendu, over the alleged battering of a female lawmaker.
Mr. Ekpendu is to appear before the House Committee on Interior.
The decision was sequel to a motion by Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, who came under a matter of privilege, to inform the House that some personnel of the prisons boss “assaulted and harassed” Reps Mrakpor Onyeamaechi Jona (PDP, Delta) on Wednesday.
The House said Ekpendu, who is due for retirement next week, should appear before the committee to explain why he should not be committed to prison for the action by his men, while “he sat in his car watching”.
The House also summoned all the security agencies at the National Assembly gate including the Sergeant-At-Arms, to brief the Green Chamber on what steps they took to protect Reps Jona when the incident happened.
Ogor said: “A member of this great chamber was leaving for a service, while the convoy of the CG Prisons was passing. She was blocked and an aide to the CG battered her car. One of the security officers slapped her on the face. The CG of prisons will sit in the comfort of his car, while a Nigerian is being assaulted?
“I don’t want to give him the honour of appearing before this Hon House. It will be embarrassing to us for him to appear here. He has clearly violated the legislative powers of the constitution. For the principle of fair hearing, we should let him appear before the committee”, he said.
Lol! Now that it affects one of their own, CG has to be summoned! Nigeria, wonderful nation!