The President of the Nigerian Senate, Bukola Saraki on Tuesday appealed to his colleagues to put the overall interest of the country above all political considerations when the Senate begins the screening of nominees for ministerial appointments expected from President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.
The Senate President who said this in a welcome address he delivered to welcome the Senate back from its six weeks recess on Tuesday urged his colleagues to shun politics and all forms of pettiness while making the enormity and the urgency of the challenges before the nation as their guide.
While reiterating the importance of the screening exercise, Senate President noted that appointment of ministers will create the space for greater policy engagement with the Executive Arm of government and enable us to begin to respond in a more systematic manner to the various economic and social challenges before us, especially through our various Committees that will also be constituted soon.
Some Senators who are angry over what they believe as unfair treatment of the Senate President, especially with his recent arraignment at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations of false declaration of assets by the Federal Government were reportedly baying for blood.
The Senators, who believed that the presidency is behind the ordeal of the Senate President, are reportedly working to ensure the sabotage of the screening process as a way of getting back at the presidency.
But Saraki who said the Senate is awaiting the list of ministerial nominees this week; appealed to his colleagues to ensure that the list is treated “with dispatch and thoroughness,” once it is submitted.
“We must not be held down by unnecessary politicking. The enormity of our national challenges at this time does not give room for pettiness or politics of vendetta.”
But the Senate President also talked about his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, affirming that he is being tried because he became the President of the Nigerian Senate against the wishes of some powerful individuals outside who he said are outside the chambers of the National Assembly.
Saraki who added that he was elected President of the Senate by his colleagues as stipulated in the constitution said there was no place for such outside forces in the election of the leaders of the National Assembly.
“The laws of Nigeria do not give any consideration to any other forces outside the Senate in the election of its President. And to yield the ground on this note, is to be complicit in the subversion of democracy and its core principles of separation of powers as enshrined in our constitution,” he said while commending President Muhammadu Buhari, for refusing to interfere in the election of the National Assembly leadership.
Saraki therefore affirmed that he is prepared to defend Nigeria democracy and safeguard the independence of the National Assembly as a Senator and as Senate President by standing strong in the face of relentless persecution.
“I invite all of you to stand with me to defend this Senate and preserve its sanctity. Ultimately, our legacies would not be defined by how long we stay here and in whatever position; but by what we did with this great opportunity that our people have given us by the grace of Almighty God,” said Saraki.
Apart from the impending ministerial screening, the Senate President also spoke about other contemporary issues in the address. While commiserating with families of Nigerians who lost their lives during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, Saraki said Nigeria should take active part in the investigations of the tragedy to demonstrate to the world that it cares about its people and will take care of its people wherever they may be.
Thus, the Senate President said the Senate working with the Federal Government and the Saudi authorities will not only work to determine the actual number of Nigerians who died in the stampede, but also joined in determining the remote and immediate cause of the tragedy with the general aim of averting such occurrence in the future.
The Senate President also acknowledged that the biggest challenge facing the country today is the state of its economy, especially the dwindling oil revenue which he noted has brought enormous shock to the “economy and greatly limited the capacity of government at various levels to meet even basic commitments.”
While noting that the country has gone through similar situations in the past, Saraki however noted that what the country is confronted with today is unprecedented in ramification and potential gravity. “We must think hard and work hard with the Executive to achieve greater clarity in policy direction and interventions,” said the Senate President.
In this vein, he said the Senate will undertake a review of the 2015 budget and begin to lay down the fundamental principles that would determine the 2016 budget and the philosophy that undergirds the economy.
“We are here to proffer policy solutions and minimize hardship amongst our people. Any other objective must be secondary. The externalized distractions we have had recently have been unhelpful but I am more than ever focused and resolute to the course of our people to provide them leadership that will ease their pain and realize their dreams. It is in view of this that we set for ourselves the legislative agenda committee to help us identify priorities that will have substantial impact on the lives of our people,” said Saraki.
In the coming days we shall be considering the report of the committee.Adopt it and immediately begin the implementation of the priorities identified. There will be need to fast track issues- not with haste but with deliberate steps and diligence that would deliver results that can stand the test of time.
We promised Nigerians that our actions would positively impact on their lives. This I intend to keep. In that light I will urge you my distinguished colleagues that we make priority the passing of bills that would ultimately and substantially expand our peoples’ livelihood and opportunities.
