Why I refrained from NASS affairs, says Buhari

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday, said he distanced himself from the affairs of the legislative arm to promote a culture of mutual respect and collaboration between the lawmaking body and the executive arm.

He said this during the official commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies.

“As you are all aware, I have traversed all parts of Nigeria in the last few days commissioning several critical national infrastructures that my administration has completed over the last eight years. Our successes as a government are primarily due to the harmonious relationship between the executive and the legislature.

“As you are aware, from the moment of my election in 2015 and subsequently, I supported the idea of an independent National Assembly, one that is able to decide its Leadership and develop its agenda in line with the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress.

“I refrained from meddling in the affairs of the legislature and instead promoted a culture of mutual respect and collaboration between the two arms,” he said.

While attributing the successes recorded by his administration to the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature, he added that the legislative arm remains a vital part of any democracy.

“The legislature is the cornerstone of any democracy and is vital to ensuring that the wishes and aspirations of all Nigerians are considered during the lawmaking process. It also performs critical functions of overseeing the Executive and ensuring that government spending aligns with legislative intent,” he said.

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