TheCable

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, says the national assembly does not have the power to declare a vote of no confidence on Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police.

The lawmakers declared the no-confidence vote on the IGP after an emergency joint meeting on Tuesday.

They accused the police IGP of harassing their colleagues, including Senate President Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west senatorial district.

But speaking on a Channels TV programme on Wednesday night, Malami said: “Within the purview of the constitution, if you look at section 4 of the constitution alongside Section 88 of the constitution, I think the fundamental functions of the legislature is lawmaking within the context and spirit of section 4 of the constitution and two, is oversight.

“The oversight function is not open-ended in all sincerity. Within the context of the workings of the ministries, departments and agencies, the major responsibility of the national assembly is exposing corruption. That is the bottom line.

“I cannot in all sincerity come to terms with the reality of the declaration of the vote of no confidence against the IG, where to situate it within the context of the lawmaking responsibility of the national assembly and within the context of exposing corruption.”

Gabi Abdullahi, spokesman of the senate, however, disagreed with the AGF, saying the lawmakers’ constitutional power does not only apply to the issue of corruption.

Abdullahi, who was also featured on the programme hosted by Kadaria Ahmed, said: “I don’t agree with that (Malami’s position) because that section says inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it. So, it is not just the issue of corruption itself.”