NASS, Executive to end rift in 2018 – Presidency

By Ezrel Tabiowo Abuja

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has said unlike in the previous times, the Executive and Legislature in the year 2018, would focus on building a strong relationship.

This was just as Enang stated that the 2018 budget would not be padded and that Nigerians would experience the benefit of a harmonious relationship between the two arms of government which would foster rapid development. According to him, there were fracas in the past and that the spill that the 8th Assembly is facing emanated from the fact that the 7th National Assembly concentrated less on oversight functions.

Enang stated this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja. He noted that the presidency was committed to ensuring that the economic challenges faced by the country are adequately tackled.

He said: “This year is going to be a very robust year in the executive-legislative relationship because Nigerians will see harmony, concord, cooperation and the best of relationship between the executive and the legislature.

You are not going to have uncommon compromise you are going to have engagement not something combustible.” Speaking on the 2018 budget, he described padding as a new lexicon in the legislative process which he stated is unlawful insertion.

Noting that any budget presented to the legislature is dead on arrival, he explained till the President assents to the Bill before it is given the lifeline. “In my opinion, padding is an illegal or unlawful insertion by a person who is not expected to do it into a legal, purely completed legislative document. Therefore unless a bill has been passed and forwarded to Mr President for assent, there can be no padding. “On the part of the executive, if a Bill is forwarded to Mr President, be it a Bill on any matter or budget and the President or the governor, something is inserted by the governor or by the executive into the Bill before assenting,

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