President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday night urged the National Assembly to speedily consider and pass five bills presently before it.
He listed the bills to include the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Appropriation bill, Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) bill, Mutual Legal Assistant in Criminal Matters bill, Statutory Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), bill for Acts for domestication of agreements for avoidance of double taxation between Nigeria and South Korea, Spain, and Sweden respectively.
Speaking during a dinner in which he hosted National Assembly members and some leaders of the All Progressives Congress( APC), he said these bodies could not execute their statutory mandate nor incur expenditure for the year unless their budgets were approved by the National Assembly.
He said,”This is first, to mark the 2016 Democracy Day and further to appreciate the National Assembly leadership, membership and management for the great work they have done in considering and approving as thought fit several bills and measures submitted by the executive and those bills originated by the legislature which have enabled the government function according to law.
“Let me appreciate the work of the National Assembly for the painstaking and consensual work they did with the Executive to deliver the 2016 Appropriation Act.
“It is on record that this is one rare occasion where the Appropriation Act was assented to with the schedule i.e the details. This is a good start in our journey of change. “
“I seize this opportunity to please draw attention to the under listed bills which have been submitted to the National Assembly and appeal for accelerated consideration and passage. “
“The bills include Bills for Acts of domestication of agreements for avoidance of double taxation between Nigeria and South Korea, Spain and Sweden respectively; Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Bill 2016; Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill 2016; Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill 2016; and the Statutory Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission 2016.
He appealed to the lawmakers to consider and pass these submitted bills, particularly the statutory budget of the FCT, the NDDC Budget and the budget of statutory corporations.
President Buhari reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to the principles of Separation of Powers as they in the executive has restricted themselves to their constitutional roles.
“I hereby re-state the commitment of this administration to observe the principles of separation of powers which defines and delineates the functions and powers of each arm of government. “
“Thus far, we in the executive have restricted ourselves to our constitutional roles.
“Therefore I, as the President, and we as the Executive arm of government will not interfere in the functions, functioning and process of the Legislature nor the Judiciary.”
“In the same vein, I urge other arms of government to please appraise and ensure that each action conceived and taken by it is in strict accord with its constitutionally limited powers. “
He urged the legislators and the legislature to take out time and communicate with their constituents and other Nigerians the policies of the government which are based on laws approved by the National Assembly.
Speaking earlier, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, congratulated the administration for its first year , noting that it was not easy for the country to go through 17 uninterrupted years of democracy.
He pointed out that the spirit of the gathering was to take Nigeria’s democracy further.
Among the dignitaries that attended the dinner included Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, chieftain of APC and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.
(Today.ng)
