The presidency has responded to the Senate belligerent posture by extending the olive branch over it’s refusal to respect and implement the Senate’s exercise of it’s power as an independent arm of government.
The Senate was irked with the presidency’s over the continued stay of Ibrahim Magu as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission despite falling to secure the Senate’s confirmation twice.
The senators also protested alleged disrespect of the National Assembly by appointees of the president especially the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali.
Because of these alleged infractions, the Senate suspended the consideration of the president’s nominees for Resident Electoral Commissioners.
In response to the upper legislative chamber’s expression of displeasure, President Buhari’s Senate liaison officer, Ita Enang, said the administration will respect the decision of the lawmakers and pursue dialogue with them.
“We will not question the power of the senators to take decision on how they want to conduct nomination hearings,” Mr. Enang said on Tuesday afternoon. “We will not go fighting with them”.
Instead, “we will listen to their grievances and reason along with them,” Mr. Enang said shortly after the Senate took the decision to protest Mr. Magu’s continued stay in office.
