• Again, Lawan deplores rubber stamp tag on N’Assembly
President Muhammadu Buhari has advised aggrieved Nigerians to seek redress through democratic means.
This is even as he commended members of the ninth National Assembly for understanding, support, and quick response to the policy direction of the Federal Government.
Buhari, who spoke yesterday at the opening of a two-day executive-legislative leadership retreat to promote harmonious relationship between the two arms of government in Abuja, reminded Nigerians of the dynamics associated with lawmaking and governance.
He, therefore, sought their cooperation to make the entire process less burdensome.
The President said the event offered an opportunity for the two arms to engage as one government for the benefit of the citizenry.
“This retreat provides us another opportunity to interface, reflect, brainstorm, and engage as one government. I use the word one government because there can only be one government in a nation at a time, and officials both elected or appointed in the executive or legislative arms must all be working for the peace, unity, and development of our country,” he clarified.
Buhari added: “This retreat titled ‘Promoting Effective Executive Legislative Partnership, Finding a Middle Ground’ is apt, as it reflects the peculiarity of a presidential system of government like ours. The experiences of the last 20 years of steady democratic practice in Nigeria have underlined the need for effective partnership and collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government to deliver on our mandate.”
He urged sustenance of ties through dialogue and consultation.
THE Presidency had also on Sunday night cautioned against what it termed needless outbursts on restructuring, stating that it would not be stampeded into embarking on such exercise especially now that nation is contending with the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the current administration would not be forced to “make any decision that goes contrary to the interest of the nation.”
REACTING, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, yesterday, described the response as “uncouth and rude warning”, maintaining that Nigerians cannot be intimidated.
In a statement signed by Yinka Odumakin (South West), Chief Guy Ikokwu (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South South), and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), the group said instead of government to reassure on rebuilding the country on the path of inclusivity, “the regime is talking down on Nigerians in very intemperate language.”
IN his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, dismissed the notion in some quarters that the federal legislature had become a rubber stamp of the executive arm.
“In fact, this relationship is misunderstood by many. Some out of mischief, describe the National Assembly as a
rubber stamp, some out of misunderstanding,” he stated.
The number three citizen said the ninth assembly was preoccupied with working the executive to make Nigeria a better place.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila harped on symbiotic relationships to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Umar El-Yakub, said the programme was conceived to strengthen governance via retooling of the participants with vital information.
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