NASS Will Be Seen As Working Against Nigerians If…- – Senate Leader

The Senate majority leader, Ahmed Lawal has advised his fellow lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly to reconvene immediately to consider some urgent matters of national importance if they are not to be seen as working against the interest of Nigerians.

Speaking to newsmen today, Monday after a closed door meeting with the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential Villa, Abuja, Senator Lawal said: “if we don’t reconvene and pass the request, what that means is that we have turned against this country; we are stalling the administration and invariably, fighting the people because the people want us to do those things that will make them happy.

The Senate leader stressed the importance and urgency of reconvening the two chambers of the national assembly to immediately pass the virement on the supplementary budget which President Muhammadu Buhari presented recently to the Senate.

“It is important that whatever crisis we have in the Senate and indeed in the national assembly, that Nigerians don’t suffer. We as politicians can do anything, it is a parliamentary practice. In fact, in Parliament, worse things could happen but Parliaments that are responsible and responsive will always take into account the national interest, work assiduously to ensure that the country does not suffer.

“Here in our case, we have our budget suffering, we are not able to implement anything today because, we are not able as a legislature, the national assembly pass the request of Mr. President. “So I believe that we should be on the same page with Nigerians. We are not aliens; we are representing Nigerians. Therefore what Nigerians want today is for this administration to provide those essentials that it has promised and it has started providing. That we should plan properly for free, fair and transparent elections in 2019.

Senator Ahmed Lawal aid that there is also the issue concerning the 2018 budget which capital aspect will be largely funded by foreign facilities, loans, adding that the Senate needs to approve such loans.

“We also need to approve other important and essential requests, especially that of INEC and other security agencies for our security to be improved.

“If we don’t reconvene to address those issues, the government will get stalled and I believe that if we are able to pass the supplementary budget and virement request from Mr. President, this will enable our administration to provide the various infrastructure that we have planned to provide for Nigerians and also all the other aspects of national development.

“To do otherwise will lead to sabotage this administration; will lead to sabotage democracy itself because if we cannot provide the essentials for Nigerians, if we cannot provide funds for INEC to plan for the 2019 elections, what do we call ourselves?

“Certainly, in the case of INEC for example, INEC could pick some items on the shelves but there are so many important and essential items that INEC will have to place order that could take about two to three months.

“So I believe that my colleagues are listening and we should be able to reconvene in the next few days for us to pass the budget request of Mr. President as quickly as possible.”