Meeting With Buhari, NASS: We Talked About How To Make Nigeria Work

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Wednesday night said the closed door meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the National Assembly focused on fostering the working relationship on the two arms of government and not his court trial.

He said the meeting, which was at the behest of the President, was to strategise on how to better the lot of Nigerians as well as deliver on election promises made to Nigerians.

Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, led the lawmakers to the late night meeting with the President.

Others at the meeting from the Senate include the Senate Majority Leader, Ali Ndume; the Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah; Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and Minority Whip, Philip Aduda.

Those who attended from the House of Representatives included the Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; and House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Fielding questions from journalists at the end of the meeting which held begin closed doors, at the First Lady’s Conference Hall inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Sarako said, “It was a very useful session, being the first one. This kind of interaction helps in ensuring smooth relationship between the two arms of government.

“We discussed a number of issues: some of the plans. The general commitment is that yes, the National Assembly has legislators from different parties but now we are representing Nigeria. We have a common goal to see that we work together for the interest of the country as a whole.”

Asked whether the issue of his ongoing trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets came up during the meeting, Saraki said, “We are talking about what will make Nigeria work, we are talking about the promises we made during elections.

“Those are the big issues we are talking about and to ensure that there are no distractions. The focus is to ensure that the executive arm does things in the interest of the county.

“It is normal in democratic setting, from time to time, you see the parliament talking with the executive. That is how to make things work.”

He urged Nigerians to be confident that government is working adding that “We are committed to work together and it is going to be for the good of Nigerians at large.

“It is a good development. We are all committed to what we are all elected to do: to make Nigeria work,” he said.

The Senate President is facing trial on a 13-count charge of corruption and false declaration of asset, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja. He has since pled not guilty to all charges