The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (CSSLN) has rejected summons issued by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to the Speakers of the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly, describing it as a breach of constitutional limits.
In a statement released on Tuesday by CSSLN Chairman, Mr Adebo Ogundoyin, the group condemned the summons, reportedly prompted by petitions from civil society organisations, “Guardians of Democracy” and “The Rule of Law,” as a challenge to Nigeria’s federal structure and the autonomy of state legislatures.
A formal letter of objection has been sent to the committee, according to the statement.
The conference argued that under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly’s investigative and oversight powers are restricted to matters within federal jurisdiction.
It asserted that state legislatures are independent arms of government and that their presiding officers cannot be summoned over internal legislative affairs unless the matter involves a clear constitutional or federal issue.
“The Speakers of the Benue and Zamfara State Houses of Assembly have independently written to express strong constitutional objections to the summons,” the statement said. “They affirmed that the issues raised are strictly domestic and fall outside the National Assembly’s oversight jurisdiction.”
The CSSLN warned that such moves could set a dangerous precedent and threaten democratic governance at the sub-national level.
It called on the National Assembly to uphold the principles of separation of powers and mutual institutional respect, while reiterating its own commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law across all levels of government.
(NAN)