President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja met separately, behind closed doors, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Buhari first met with Dogara before meeting Saraki.
Each of the meeting lasted for about 40 minutes.
The News Agency of Nigerian said it reliably gathered that the two meetings were part of efforts to address the seeming strain relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly.
NAN learnt that the meetings also discussed the progress reports on the 2017 budget proposal, the Senate’s amendment of the Electoral Act and other national issues.
The two Presidential Aides for National Assembly Matters for the Senate and House of Representatives, Senator Ita Enang and Kawu Sumaila respectively, were earlier sighted going into the President’s office.
The Senate President and the Speaker, who both spoke to State House correspondents after the meetings, said they had “routine consultation” with the President.
Saraki said the relationship between the two arms of government was cordial.
He said: “The relationship is very cordial.
“You cannot examine (the National Assembly) by one or two issues.
“That is the point I’m making.
“You cannot examine (the relationship) based on Niger Delta Development Commission or examine it based on Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“We have other issues like the Ministerial (names) we are going to work on and the amnesty we will soon work on.
“We have the budget that is more important.
“We have Independent National Electoral Commission, we have Petroleum Industry Bill, we have so many things and I think it is a mixture of all that that should guide us.
“So, don’t let us overheat the polity.”
On the six months suspension of Senator Ali Ndume by the Senate, Saraki said he had no power to recall him as being advocated by some individuals and groups.
Also speaking on the outcome of his meeting with Buhari, Dogara dismissed the assertion that he was in the Villa over crisis between the executive and the legislature.
Dogara said: “It baffles me when people see you visit Mr. President, the assumption out there is that something is going wrong.
“Nothing is wrong.
“It is just a routine consultation.
“You might look at it as crisis, but I don’t look at it as crisis.
“You know I have always said this that as a government our value will be the problems we have solved.
“We can’t be remembered for avoiding or running away from problems.
“It is only when we provide solution to some of the things you refer to as crises and we look at them as opportunities to begin anew that people will now remember us for putting down enduring legacies.”
On the proposed protest against the recent activities at the National Assembly, Dogara said Nigerians were free to express their views peacefully.
He said: “This is a democracy we are running and we have to open the space to civil society, to everyone who feels aggrieved to be able to air his grievances.
“So, if they have grievances against the institution of the legislature, we will take it.”
NAN.
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