The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has denied the claim that he shunned the invitation of the House plenary and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Minister in a statement signed by his media aide, Ferdinand Nwonye acknowledged that he received the summon but said the date he was expected to appear coincided with the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Ambassador Onyeama assured the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila of his respects for the institution of the National Assembly.
The statement read in part: ” It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a statement credited to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, in which he alleged to have charged that Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs refused to appear before the House plenary and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, to brief them on his efforts to address the plight of Nigerians in the Republic of South Africa and that he would take punitive measures against him and report him to the President.
“The Ministry wishes to inform the public that there is no iota of truth whatsoever in such a charge. The truth of the matter is that by a letter dated September 9, 2019, by the Chief of Staff to the Hon Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was invited to a meeting with the Leadership of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, at 11.00 am in the Hon Speaker’s Office.
The letter dated September 10, 2019, the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs wrote to the Chief of Staff to the Hon Speaker, informing him that the Minister would be in the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at that time, and that he looked forward to a meeting at a time to be mutually agreed on.
“The Ministry is by this press release, informing that the Honorable Minister that the Ministry respects the institution of the National Assembly. “