Clark, Nwodo identify reasons Buhari, appointees ‘disregard’ NASS

Leaders of the South and Middle belt on Thursday condemned the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Executive for what they said is a flagrant disregard for the legislative arm of government.

The South and Middlebelt Leaders Forum stated this when a high level delegation of the group led by Chief Edwin Clark visited the leadership of the Senate in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the body, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, lamented that such is possible because of “over-concentration of Powers in the Federal Government contrary to the agreement that our forefathers entered into for the nation called Nigeria. That governance has failed in our country. That economic development has failed,” he said.

He called for the revisit of the power development clause that was rejected in ongoing constitution alteration process as promised by the National Assembly.

He said: “We believe that many of the problems that we have in our country emanate from the constitution of our country. We know that the National Assembly has had debate on devolution of powers and we know, Mr. President, that you did promise the nation that you will have a revisit to this issue.

“We have come to ask you to bring up the revisit. We consider it urgent and inevitable because we believe that all problems we have today in Nigeria emanate from the fact that our constitution is not right for a country constituted by people of diverse culture, diverse religion, diverse political persuasions as our country,” he said.

Nwodo said the recent invasion of the Senate by thugs that forcefully snatched the mace of the Red Chamber and the refusal of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to honour the summons of the Senate were clear examples of the Executive’s disregard for the institution of the National Assembly.

He continued, that “We have watched the helplessness of the National Assembly where members of the executive even refuse your invitations to come and make explanations contrary to provisions of the constitution.

“We have found the helplessness of the Senate when you can be invaded in spite of the security adornment in this place controlled by the executive and the seat of the Senate President is almost invaded but for the personal security of the aides of its leadership.

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“This is because our system makes the tail wag the dog rather than the dog wag the tail. This cannot be in a fountain of legislative authority for executive implementation, and yet they toy with the system.

On his part, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, speaking on the call to revisit clauses that were rejected during the ongoing constitution review process, Saraki said the National Assembly is ready to reconsider the clauses and that it would do so after the passage of the 2018 budget.

Other members of the delegation were Chief Olu Falae, Air Vice Marshall, Irangate Idongesit, Obong Victor Attah, Sen. Stella Omu, Prof. Banjo Akintoye, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, Prof. Ihechukwuma Maduke, Sen. Basset Henshaw, Air Comm. Dan Suleiman (rtd), Mr. Alfred Mulade, His Highness Anaba Saraigbe and Lady Maryam Yunusa

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