Buhari to National Assembly: Nothing to commend about corrupt people

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday told members of National Assembly that there was nothing to commend about corrupt people in the country.
Buhari, who represented by the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha, at the National Assembly Open Week, expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the National Assembly members to pass the 2018 Budget earlier in order to return from the budget cycle to January to December.
He said: “Let me refresh the commitment of my administration to bringing corruption to a total stop in Nigeria.. There is indeed nothing to celebrate about corruption and nothing to commend about those who are corrupt.
“Glorious days of our dear country have been rolled back due to corruption. Let us therefore, collectively stand to ensure that corruption does not deny us the bright future ahead.”
Buhari expressed worry over the recurring controversy between the executive and legislature, stressing that there was no evidence of collaboration leading to the passage of the 2018 Appropriation bill by the National Assembly.
He said a stronger relationship between both arms of government was inevitable in the interest of the country.
He however expressed the hope that the open day will afford Nigerians the opportunity to discuss the process of over-sighting role of parliament with a view to fine-tuning it.
The President also stressed the need for both the executive and legislature to be determined in working closely, while respecting the rule of law.
Buhari said: “I reiterated in my speech during the signing of the 2018 Appropriation Bill into Law, I had hoped that the usual Legislative review process will be quick when I submitted the proposal in November, 2017 in order to return to a predictable January to December Financial Year.
“While my desire was premised on the need to bring about better development outcomes in 2018 using the budget, it was regrettable that the required Executive-Legislative collaboration was not reflected in the time it took to pass the Bill.”