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Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has riot act to ministers, ministries, departments and agencies, warning that any disrespect to the National Assembly will not be tolerated.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari issued the warning after meeting Senate President Senator Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila at the State House, Abuja.
Garba said the meeting, which lasted for almost an hour, was characterised by an engaging discussion on a range of key issues of National importance particularly the role of the Legislature as a critical component in supporting their common goal and commitment towards improving the lives of the people of Nigeria.
The statement read in part: “In the course of their conversation, recent events at the National Assembly were highlighted and the President re-emphasised his utmost respect for the National Assembly, adding that any disrespect to the institution by any member of the executive branch will not be accepted.
“Ministers and all heads of Departments and Agencies should at all times conduct themselves in ways that will not undermine the National Assembly as an institution, its leadership and members.
“The President and the leaders of the National Assembly recognized and acknowledged that the Executive and Legislative arms of government are essential partners in the fulfillment of their mutually aligned goal of improving the lives of the Nigerian people.”
Presidency statement came shortly after the leadership of National Assembly had warned that going forward, public display of rascality by appointees of government will no longer be tolerated.
The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan, expressed this reservations over recent conducts of some government officials in the Executive arm to the legislature, while speaking to State House Correspondents after a closed-doors meeting with the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.
He noted that the cordial relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms had been particularly forged so as to better deliver quality leadership to Nigerians.
Lawan, however, said though the National Assembly would not continue to tolerate indiscrete attitudinal displays from appointees of President Buhari, the legislature would not define it’s relationship with the President by the misdemeanor of one appointee.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, recently had hot exchanges with members of the National Assembly over the administration of the 774,000 recruitment for special public works. A similar scenario had also occurred between the National Assembly and officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“If you are an appointee of the President, you are supposed to be reflective of the attitude of the President towards the National Assembly and the National Assembly will continue to… Mr President, but the National Assembly will take exception to any attitude or disposition that is not in support of the harmony in the relationship between the two arms of government.
“I think the relationship between this National Assembly and the Executive arm of government, particularly Mr President, is beyond one employee of the President.
“I don’t know what you mean by that, but let me say that this National Assembly has been very supportive, very friendly with the Executive arm of government and there’s no doubt in my mind that the President has been quite supportive of the Legislature as well.
“You will recall that in the processing of the budget last year, Mr President made a very categorical statement that no minister at that time should travel out of Nigeria without going to the National Assembly to defend his or her budget. That had never been done before and that was in support and in almost every family engagement the President would commend the members of the National Assembly. So Mr President is in full support of the National Assembly and what we do.
“We have come to see Mr President on behalf of the members of the National Assembly and this is supposed to be a continuous engagement between the Legislature and the Executive arm of government.
“Whatever we’ll do to ensure that the administration works for Nigerians, we will do that and this is to enhance the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature to commit ourselves to ensuring that we work together.”
