President Muhammadu Buhari has affirmed his readiness to work with the newly-elected leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Bukola Srakai defied the stand of the ruling All Progressives Congress to emerge as the president of senate in the 8th National Assembly, while Yakubu Dogara emerged in a similar circumstances in the House of Representatives.
While APC was literally spitting fire over the actions of the new leaders and their supporters in APC who joined forces with the opposition to elect Saraki and Dogara, Buhari said that though he would have preferred that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed, he was ready to work with the leadership of the National Assembly that emerged on Tuesday.
He spoke in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Presidennt on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina, conveying the president’s reaction to the election of the new leaders.
President Buhari said that “a constitutional process has somewhat occurred”.
the president reiterated his earlier statement that he had no preferred candidates in the election of the President of Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives still stands.
The statement reads:
“President Muhammadu Buhari has noted the outcome of the just-concluded election of leaders of the National Assembly.
“A statement issued by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) said the president would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed. Nonetheless the President took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred.
“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected. That sentiment still stands.
“Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party”.
Adesina stressed that the stability of our constitutional order and overall interest of the common man were uppermost on the President’s mind, as far as the National Assembly elections were concerned.
The President called on all the elected representatives of the people to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive change to the lives of Nigerians.
