There are strong indications that there is a cold war that may generate to a major showdown between the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari over some of the recent policies of the Federal Government.
It was reliably gathered on Friday that the lawmakers were not happy with some of the actions of the executive, including the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Qatar and the enlistment of Nigeria in the Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism.
It was also learnt that the grouse of most members of the National Assembly was that the President did not consult them before taking the decisions.
It was also learnt that members of the All Progressives Congress in the legislature had not openly come out to express their “real positions” on the policies so as not to be accused of anti-party activities.
But, some members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party revealed that the fragile peace in the National Assembly could break down any moment from now, especially if the executive continued to take the lawmakers for granted.
A member of the House, who confided in Journalists, said, “The actions of the executive smack of disregard for the National Assembly. The President should be consulting the legislature.”
Also, some senators accused the executive of taking the National Assembly, especially the upper chamber, for granted by not seeking its approval as required by law before carrying out major political and economic decisions.
A cross section of senators, who spoke on and off the record with one of our correspondents in Abuja, accused the President of running a one-man show, especially on critical national issues.
They cited the case of Nigeria joining the Saudi Arabia led anti-terrorist group; the re-organisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; and appointments into key positions without the Senate clearance as some of the offences of the executive.
For instance, a principal officer, who is representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Senator Abiodun Olujimi, lamented that she read the story of Nigeria’s membership of the Saudi Arabia-led terrorist group like every other Nigerian in the newspapers.
She said such a major international policy as well as sensitive appointments into key positions were major decisions that the executive was not constitutionally empowered to carry out unilaterally.
She said, if the executive failed to do the needful going forward, appointees into some key positions might lose their appointments
Olujimi said, “What the executive is doing with such a practice is to put the cart before the horse and this would no longer be tolerated by us. We are determined to put a stop to this. We have told our leaders in the senate to convey our message to the executive.
“We have told them that the last appointments should be the last that would be made without proper screening and clearance from the senate. Any time such a practice repeats itself. Such nominee will be rejected.”
Speaking on the current major restructuring at the NNPC, the Vice – Chairman, Senate Committee on Police, Women Affairs and Youth Development, Senator Stella Oduah, said the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, who also doubles as the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, took the National Assembly for a ride by the action.
She said, “I really don’t understand when this House (National Assembly) has become a rubber stamp that whatever is put forward should be rubber-stamped and approved. I think this is totally unacceptable.
“I think when such a thing is to be done, we need to know about it. We need to be informed. We need to brainstorm and we need to agree whether the objective for which such reorganisation is to be done is in tandem and indeed will be accomplished.
“When that is not done, I find it disrespectful, I find it totally objectionable and I think it is not acceptable.”
Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Saturday we learnt also stressed the need for the executive to respect the independence of each arm of government. He said that the executive should not underrate the powers of other arms of government to exercise necessary checks and balances.
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
Leave a comment