My disagreement with NASS healthy for democracy –Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has called on Nigerians not to interpret his recent issue with the National Assembly as a feud but a healthy disagreement good for the country’s democracy.

Fashola had accused the lawmakers of making deduction in some of the budget meant for some key projects his ministries submitted. He also accused them of inserting constituency projects into the budget of his ministries.

Querying the right of the lawmakers to make such deductions and insertions after he was summoned to defend his budget, Fashola described them as displaying “very stark and worrisome gaps in knowledge “about budget process.

Following that statement the House of Representatives recently invited him to appear before it to explain what he meant by that description.

However, speaking with State House correspondents on Tuesday, the minister described his issue with the lawmakers as nothing but a disagreement that is healthy for democracy.

He said, “Let me make it very clear that many of the Senators and honourable members are my personal friends; so, you don’t fight your friends.

“I say that the words that we use will potentially redirect our attention from what the real issue is. I don’t think that a feud is the right word to use. A disagreement; yes, a very healthy disagreement.

“Don’t forget that we are not disagreeing about who should head what. We are not disagreeing about who should take what share of the national cake. We are disagreeing about how to develop Nigeria and that for me is very healthy for our democracy.”

Read also: Mind yourself! Don’t treat us like Lagos Assembly, Senate warns Fashola

Meanwhile, the Senate in a statement released on Tuesday by its spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, claimed that the recent field visit of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to the site of the collapsed bridge at Tatabu on the Mokwa- Jebba Road, is a vindication of the National Assembly position on the need for a balanced budget that cater for all sections of Nigeria.

Apparently justifying its action in the case with Fashola, Abdullahi said, “The truth Nigerians must appreciate is that legislators are the representatives of the various Federal Constituencies and Senatorial Districts and are very much familiar with the state of affairs in these areas. This places them on a better position to know the level of decay and magnitude of intervention required on Federal Government Infrastructure within their respective domains.

“It is within this context that the constitution empowers them (lawmakers) to modulate the various proposals brought by the Executive with a view to creating the needed balance in resource allocation while also helping to avert the kind of calamity at Tatabu on Mokwa- Jebba road among others.”

 

 

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