President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, on Monday, said federal lawmakers would no longer tolerate appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari abusing the National Assembly.
He said the President himself had made it clear that he would not tolerate such.
Lawan spoke with State House correspondents shortly after Buhari inaugurated the Executive, Legislative Party Consultative Committee at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said, “I believe that should be the end of it (appointees knocking heads with legislature). We believe that we should work together.
“Mr President made it very clear that he is not going to tolerate any of his appointees doing things that are not respectable, things that have no dignity to the National Assembly.
“For us in the National Assembly, I think what has happened has happened. We pray nobody goes to the National Assembly to do the kind of things that disrespect the President and of course abuse the National Assembly.
“We are not going to tolerate that because anyone who wants to see Nigeria progress will continue to ensure that this consultative forum produces the kind of result and outcomes that will make Nigeria better in terms of governance.”
In another development, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila said that some of the investigative hearings were carried out without the knowledge of the leadership of the National Assembly.
“Sometimes, you hear of investigative hearings that even the leadership is not aware of; Investigative hearings that have not been backed by resolutions of the House. That is a conflict in our procedure.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, lamented that the ruling All Progressives Congress is “often embroiled in bitter, and on occasions, totally unnecessary squabbles”.
He regretted that the ugly development has led to the party losing governorship and legislative seats.
Buhari spoke while inaugurating the Executive, Legislative Party Consultative Committee at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said, “But we must admit to ourselves that our party has been too often embroiled in bitter, and on occasions, totally unnecessary squabbles, causing us (to lose) seats in the legislative and gubernatorial elections.
“This never should have happened; we are here to make sure such occurrences never happen again.
“We must now ensure regular consultations between the party and the government.
“I am a firm believer in the doctrine of Separation of Powers, which is fundamental to our constitutional democracy, but our practice should be harmonious checks and balances, devoid of bitterness and petty rivalry.”
Senate dares Northern Elders Forum on Constitution Review
The Senate has taken a swipe at the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, saying that as lawmakers, they were prepared to engage them through proper legislative channel rather than news media.
The Senators said that members of the Northern Elders Forum should themselves abreast with the thematic areas as advertised for constitutional reforms cut across some of the concerned they raised.
The Elders were however challenged to forward to the Constitution Review Committee its memorandum for the Committee to work on rather than fault move to look at the 1999 Constitution ( as Amended).
Speaking with Journalists Monday on the position of NEF that the Senate should direct its energy and mandate towards convincing President Muhammadu Buhari to bring an end to the insurgency in the North East instead of the Constitution Review process, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, All Progressives Congress, APC, Osun Central said that as elders, they were however entitled to their views.
Senator Basiru said, “Even though they are entitled to their views, the question to ask is; does it mean that if former legislatures cum executive (administrations) have possibly or allegedly failed in this regard, then it can never be achieved.
“Their statement even implied an agreement by them that there is need for fundamental restructuring exercise which is the purpose of the present endeavor of the 9th National Assembly. Their views can be encapsulated in a memorandum to the Constitution Review Committee. The thematic areas advertised for constitutional reforms cut across some of the concerned they raised and therefore we shall be glad to engage them through proper legislative channel rather than news media.”
