Senate President, Bukola Saraki,
has advised the President Muhammadu Buhari government to respect other arms of
government.
He said separation of powers must
be honoured as spelt out in the constitution.
Saraki also warned that any
onslaught against the judiciary will be rejected.
He said this while reference to
the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen.
Saraki also called for peaceful
general elections which are scheduled to begin on February 16.
His full speech below:
“Distinguished colleagues, it is
an honour to welcome you all back after the festive break. I wish each and
every one of you, and your families, a very happy new year 2019. Although the
political season has swung into full gear, it is my hope that you were able to
get a bit of rest and some quiet time during the break; and that you have
recharged your batteries, ready to dive back into legislative work with renewed
vigour.
“As evident all around us, the
New Year has met our countrymen and women in an anticipatory mood. Spirits are
high, because in this year 2019, Nigeria has a date with destiny. But we also
know that despite all of this, the work of leadership must go on; governance
must not suffer. We must trudge on and fulfil our mandates as legislators
subject to the Nigerian Constitution and the will of the people.
“As we hit this home run,
therefore, my distinguished colleagues, we must have our eyes firmly fixed on
the unfinished business of the 8th Senate; and that is to bring the legislative
agenda to a fitting close and cap our endeavours of these four years with
success. We cannot relent or lose steam on this last lap; we must remain
focused and finish strong.
“This is an epoch making Senate
that had, by the end of 2018, passed an unprecedented 257 bills, many of which
are groundbreaking enough to change the game to meet the needs of Nigerians,
with the potential to radically transform their lives for the better. Nigerians
expect us to continue in this vein, and we owe it to ourselves to meet their
expectations. The legacy of the 8th Senate will be written in the legislative
footprints that we leave, and the foundation that we lay.
“Therefore, we must ensure that
we continue to address issues affecting Nigerians, and concerning which they
seek our intervention. Issues such as Unemployment, lack of economic
opportunities, insecurity and so on – these still require the attention of the
National Assembly. Every action that we can take to address these issues
through the legislative function, we must take; everything that we can do, we
must do. We must ensure that we conclude work on all outstanding bills and
petitions; and bring successful conclusion to all issues and investigations
brought to the attention of this Senate.
“The 2019 Elections are just over
a month away, and the expectations of Nigerians as the dates draw near, is that
we continue to serve as the representatives they voted for. In our work in this
chamber, we are expected to rise about the partisan paradigm. We should address
our minds to, and always channel our efforts to how we can move our country
forward. Nigerians want to see leaders who will not succumb to the partisan
instinct in lawmaking. They want to see leaders who will bring new ideas to
bear on the challenges confronting the country.
“Leaders should help reduce the
tension in the polity by contributing to an atmosphere of moderate and measured
political conversations. Expectations of the Executive are also palpable,
particularly with regard to the need to uphold the Constitution and its tenets,
especially as they guarantee the minimum basic requirement of Separation of
Powers; the unity of the country and the welfare of the citizens.
“On that note, I wish to lay
emphasis on the role of the Judiciary in promoting justice and bringing respect
to the country. If the Judiciary is violated or eroded or otherwise brought to
ill repute, so do the values attached to its role in a democracy. Everyone in
the political value chain should therefore do nothing that could raise tensions
in the country. Nigerians are looking up to leaders who will douse flames that
have the potential to threaten the peace and wellbeing of our country.
“I urge you, my distinguished
colleagues, to bear all this in mind as we move towards the end of this
historic Senate. The integrity of the constitution must be preserved at all
times; and service to the people in a unified country should be our ultimate
goal in all that we do as legislators.
“Looking ahead to the General
Elections, I wish all contestants and aspirants luck in the forthcoming
elections, including those here among us. I enjoin us all to bear in mind that
it should be a contest of ideas. We should eschew ad hominem approaches to
political discourse, and communicate our ideas in a civil manner.
“Everything must be done and
every sacrifice must be made to ensure free and fair 2019 Elections. INEC is
encouraged to engage the parties and be transparent in its decision making. It
is important that the people are assured of the Commission’s resolve and
commitment to credible elections.
“To all Nigerians, I say this: we
must have a country after the elections. We all still have to live among
ourselves when the polls have closed and the elections are over. The rhetoric
leading up to the elections must therefore be mindful of the need for
moderation, decorum and respect.
“To those of us who are
contesting, let us remember that our biggest offer is to serve. Ultimately, the
Nigerian people have a right to choose who will represent them at all levels.
It is not a do or die affair. I encourage all to participate in the coming
polls and I wish Nigerians a safe 2019 Election.
“Once again, I bid you all
welcome back, as we resume plenary today. The work must go on, and I am
confident that we are ready.
“I wish the entire members of the
Senate, and all Nigerians, a healthy, safe and prosperous 2019.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com