NASS Won’t Be Rubber Stamp Of Executive- New Speaker, Abbas

Posted by Rotimi Fadeyi Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Wednesday, June 14th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly, Tajudeen Abbas on Tuesday said that the National Assembly would not be a rubber stamp

Abbas spoke with Journalists after he met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa shortly after his election as Speaker.

According to him, the fact that the acceptance that the newly elected leadership of the National Assembly cuts across party lines was an indication that the Legislature would not be a rubber stamp of the executive.

Abbas said, “if you talk about rubber stamps? Look at the acceptance rate, those who have elected us are across party lines, almost the whole entire PDP, SDP, ADC and all other minority parties voted for us. So if they felt that we are going to be rubber stamps, do you think they will elect us? no”

“They believe that we will safeguard the sanctity of the National Assembly, the legislator, we will always separate our independence and we will relate and be able to harmonize with the executive where necessary. But where there is a conflict of interest where we feel that the executive is or wants to do something that is not in the interest of the public. They know that we’ll stand up against that” Abbas added

Also speaking, newly elected Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu said the national assembly would join the executive in the task of nation building.

“We promised during the time we went to all the constituencies in the Federal Republic, canvassing for votes. The promise that we’re going to ensure that nation building remains a joint task that will not be left only for the executive, the judiciary to handle.

“We promise that we are going to be there to make sure we’re at our own bricks to the nation building wall. And this extend to creation of jobs, reduction of poverty, policies that goes into enhancing our energy sources, policies that will help us create more local content usage in this country.

“Manufacturing now help us reduce importation and increase exportation that will stimulate our economy. And as you see in the past few days, Mr. President has been taking the right decisions you know, on issues.

“We want to sustain that through legislative support, legislative intervention to make sure that together, we build a nation we will be proud of”, he said