President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, hosted members of the National Assembly across political parties to dinner, telling them that he is ready to use every means within his powers to end insecurity in the country and bring perpetrators to book.
Speaking at the event held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, he said “insecurity, manifesting as insurgencies, banditry, kidnapping and urban crime of all sorts is the single most difficult challenge we face today.”
He expressed concern that insecurity had inhibited the government’s ability to build infrastructure, provide the much needed social services to the people, and attract investments that drive innovation, create industries, and provide jobs and create wealth.
He added: “Some of the people who perpetrate these various manifestations of insecurity do so for profit, others, in the name of discredited ideologies.
“Whatever their motivations may be, their actions are an existential threat to our country.
“In the circumstances, we must do everything within our power, without consideration of distractions, to put an end to their activities and bring them to book.
“We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from this objective, or waver in our commitment, and I am confident that together we will triumph in our present efforts.”
President Buhari also used the occasion to hail the ninth National Assembly for discharging their legislative duties with maturity and competence, describing the legislature as “full partners in national development.”
He particularly commended the minority parties in the legislature for their cooperation and support for government programmes.
“Our ability to govern in the best interests of the Nigerian people depends to a great deal on effective collaboration and partnership between the Legislature and the Executive.
“The obligation to check and balance each other is not an invitation to conflict, and it should not be characterised by quarrelsome disagreement when consultation, engagements and compromise have proven time and again to be a more effective approach.
“In the 9th Assembly, you have distinguished yourselves by your conduct in office, by the scale and quality of your legislative interventions, and by your capacity for engaging with the difficult questions facing the country with maturity and competence,’’ he said.
The President listed some legislative accomplishments of the ninth assembly ranging from returning of our budget cycle to January to December, the amendment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), the Nigeria Police Act, the Finance Act, the Deep Offshore Production Sharing Contract Act, amongst others.
Commending the leadership of the National Assembly under Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila for their dedication through challenging times, the President told the legislators:
“You have also, succeeded in overcoming the political and other obstacles that have for two decades, inhibited the much-needed reforms of our Oil and Gas industry, resulting now in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
“I congratulate you all, and thank you for your contributions to the difficult, yet necessary task of nation-building.”
The President noted that the executive and legislature came into office at a time of significant challenges for the country.
“Overcoming these challenges requires that we finally confront long-ignored questions of economics, politics, law and history that are often at the root of our national problems.
“This moment in history requires us to make hard choices, take difficult decisions and act with diligence and patriotism to ensure that our country can survive and thrive long after we have all left.
“What this means in effect is that our jobs will not get any easier. However, the objectives we seek and will work together to achieve, deserve our best efforts regardless of the sacrifice,” he said.
As the second legislative year of the 9th Assembly has just come to an end, the President noted that it was appropriate to jointly review shared commitments, to identify what has been achieved, and what is still left undone.
“This way, we can prioritise activities and allocate the resources necessary to ensure that in the lifetime of this Assembly, and of the administration, we can complete the work we have started, and leave behind a record of achievement that will stand all of us in good stead in the assessment of history,” he said.
The President said he looked forward to continued collaboration and partnership between the Executive and Legislative arms of government, working together to achieve a shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous country.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the dinner was beyond eating as the purpose was to bring together the arms of government that had worked so closely.
According to him, since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999, no government has been so challenged by the paucity of funds and myriads of other challenges facing the country.
He said although members of the National Assembly belonged to different political parties, they have worked in brotherhood, standing together and ensuring that they are able to deliver when necessary.
Lawan noted that the Senate and the House of Representatives had worked together seeing to the demolition of the “demons” that stopped the passage of critical bills such as the PIB and others in the past.
He said the legislators worked as Nigerians and as people who were there to ensure the good governance of the country.
He stressed the need for more money for security as he noted that “there is no better investment in Nigeria today than investment in security,” hoping that security would have more money in the 2022 budget.
Lawan observed that the nation’s economy survived many shocks because the legislature passed the national budgets in time in the last two years.
He advised Nigerians to aggregate their views and build a consensus on matters they want to be addressed in the ongoing constitution review exercise.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said it was a delight that they could sit with the Executive, not over official matters but to eat.
He said he was proud of House members, singling out opposition members who he said were engaging in constructive opposition “as they watch their number deplete,” saying: “As we move towards 2023, I hope their colour will change. I wait on them.”
He praised the effort of the National Assembly especially on the passage of the PIB, assuring that before the National Assembly goes on break on Thursday, the Electoral Act amendment would be passed.
Legislators from all political parties in the legislature were invited to the event.
It was the first time members of the National Assembly from across parties were hosted by the president in the presidential villa.
President Buhari had previously hosted the leadership of the legislature and only members of the ruling APC from time to time.
Also present at Tuesday’s occasion were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, ministers and other senior administration officials.
TRIBUNE
