• Thursday, April 25, 2024
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Buhari awaits transmission of PIB Electoral Act, assents to 15 bills in 2 years

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President Muhammadu Buhari is currently awaiting the transmission of the harmonised copies of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the National Assembly for signing into law.

Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to President Buhari on National Assembly Matters, (House of Representatives), Umar El-Yakub disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

Both the PIB and Electoral Act Amendment Bill were recently passed by the National Assembly amidst controversy over 3% host community trust fund and electronic transmission of election results.

El-Yakub who also disclosed that the President has assented to 15 bills in the last two years, hailed the National Assembly for the passage of the controversial PIB and the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

He expressed delight over the symbiotic relationship between the National Assembly and the executive which resulted in a tremendous improvement in service delivery and good governance in the last two years.

The Presidential Aide also stated that the cordial relationship between both arms of government has culminated into policies and programmes which are being implemented in education, health, digital economy and physical infrastructure.

Read also: PIB, the rentier state and sub-national passions

“We have achieved such a milestone in this partnership and relationship culminating in so many programmes and initiatives of government and policies that have been actualised.”

“I make bold to mention and commend the leadership of the National Assembly for returning the budget circle of January to December that was achieved primarily because of this corporation between the executive and the legislative arm of government and for the benefit of Nigerians because now we have a budget that had been implemented fully in 2020 and we are hoping to have the same in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

“We know the benefit of a budget that is being implemented on time because of the impact it has on our economic and social wellbeing as Nigerians.
“The relationship is being anchored on the respect for the separation of powers between the executive and the legislature as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution which of course also understands that there is one government but essentially the various arms of government work creative, cooperative and collaborative manner to ensure that there is constructive and meaningful engagement to deliver services to the Nigerian people and to participate in nation-building as partners, and that has been demonstrated in many areas of our national life.

“Of course like I mentioned earlier, having such a good relationship further reinforces the confidence of the electorate and the Nigerian people in their government because there is synergy, there is corporation, there is respect and there is an understanding of coming together for a common purpose to achieving the desired goals”, El-Yakub stated.