A motion on the floor by Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia) to invite the President to explain why the country can no longer provide fuel for its citizens was however crushed through a voice vote, in a rowdy session presided over by Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The motion, enthusiastically supported by Peoples Democratic (PDP) senators was subdued by the majority All Progressive Congress (APC) senators who told their PDP colleagues that President Buhari, as Commander in Chief, cannot be summoned at will by the Senate.
The PDP senators however insisted that since the President is the substantive Minister of Petroleum and the Senate are constitutionally empowered to invite Ministers, the President should be summoned.
Abaribe’s motion was brought in during consideration of another motion tagged “The current fuel scarcity all around the country and the need to urgently resolve the crisis” whic asked whether h was sponsored by Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano) and 23 others.
The propriety of having a president that directly presides over the affairs of an MDA first played out during Senate’s confirmation of the current ministers when questions were raised on whether the President as minister would also be screened by the lawmakers.
