President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked members of the National Assembly to give his aides breathing space and not occupy their time with summons and investigations.
Tinubu said: “I have been watching various committees summoning ministers and heads of agencies. I have complained to the Speaker to ‘let the poor breathe.’”
He begged the Legislature to cut down on the summoning of heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) to appear before parliamentary committees.
A statement by Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, said that Tinubu was speaking at the breaking of Ramadan fast (Iftar) on Wednesday evening in Abuja with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and the leadership of the House.
According to the President, while legislative oversight was essential for maintaining transparency and accountability in governance, excessive summoning of officials could end up disrupting operations and hindering service delivery to citizens.
The President told the visiting lawmakers: “Let these people do the job. We are not saying that you are not influential. We are not saying you cannot do your oversight. But consider the primary duty of each agency, its personnel, or the responsibilities of the Governor of the Central Bank or the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance to you and the entire nation.
”If they are distracted or disturbed, maybe we will shift parliamentary sitting all through the night. We must find a way to accommodate one another. This is an appeal to you. See if you can accept representatives in some instances or even documentations.”
Expressing confidence in the ability of the National Assembly to uphold good governance, he lauded the existing cordial relationship between the executive arm of government and the legislature.
He said the harmonious working relationship had resulted in the expeditious passage of several bills aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians.
Tinubu urged the legislators not to forget their constituencies and to take advantage of the holy month of Ramadan to show compassion and support the less-privileged in society.
The President stated: ”We are making sacrifices for the country, and we are assuring citizens that there is a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.
”We must have faith, and please do not forget your constituencies and remember what they are going through.
”I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing, but it is for our country. There is nothing personal about this. It is for Nigeria, and we have no other country but Nigeria.”
Speaking on the recent killing of soldiers on national duty in Delta State, the President expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the bereaved, and pledged that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes would never be in vain.
The President said the officers would get a befitting burial, as well as national honours.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudden Abbas, emphasised the importance of forgiveness, generosity, and prayers during Ramadan and called for unity in the nation and support for President Tinubu.
”So far, so good, the House has been very supportive of the President and his policies, and we shall continue to ensure that we work together,” the Speaker stated. ”I want to urge us to use this month to increase our good deeds and minimise our bad deeds.”
Reflecting on the 10 months of this administration, the Speaker noted that both the Executive and the Legislature continued to work in synergy for the progress of the country.
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