We’ll ensure 9th NASS, Executive do not work at cross purposes — Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government says, without prejudice to legislative independence, the incoming administration will forestall a repeat of the conduct of the 8th National Assembly, which worked at cross purposes with the Executive Arm of Government between 2015 and 2019.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this on Wednesday when he featured on a Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) Programme, “Good Morning Nigeria”.

He said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was working towards having a National Assembly that would work in synergy with the executive for seamless execution of its agenda toward the delivery of democracy dividends to Nigerians.

The minister stressed that for all the propounded programmes and policies of government to materialise in the next four years, there was the need for a legislative arm that would work in tandem with the executive arm.

“As far as we respect the independence of the legislative arm of government, we also believe that especially when a party has done very well in both legislative and executive elections, there should be a synergy between the legislative and the executive arms of government.

“I want to assure you that we are doing the right thing this time around and we will not end up with the kind of situation that we had in 2015 to 2019.

“We will not have a situation where it will seem that the leadership of the National Assembly is working for the opposition or where members of the same party are working at cross purposes.

“This time around we will get it right; we will have good relationship with the National Assembly and we will work very well with the legislature,” he said.

The minister discussed his recent visits to the United States and the United Kingdom, where he met with the international media and Think Tanks in both countries, in the aftermath of the 2019 general elections.

Mohammed said that he used the opportunity of the tour to tell the international community how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had delivered on the President’s promises, and how ready it was to do more in the next four years.

“I have a good product in President Buhari and selling it to the international community was quite easy.

“What endears him to the international community is the achievement in economy, how he nurtured the economy from recession to growth recording six consecutive quarters of growth in GDP.

“We have brought down inflation, foreign reserve has increased from 27 billion dollar to 45 billion dollar.

“Our reforms have earned us accolade globally.

“Post election, we have witnessed five billion dollar investment in Nigeria,” he said.

The minister said that the international community commended the Buhari government for its anti-corruption stance and the successes recorded in the agriculture sector, among others.