Next Level: Senate will provide enabling environment for agenda implementation – Omo-Agege

Deputy President of the Senate Ovie Omo-Agege, has assured Nigerians that the 9th National Assembly would provide the enabling environment for implementation of the “Next Level” agenda.

Omo-Agege’s reassurance was contained in a statement on Wednesday by Yomi Odunuga, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

Odunuga said Omo-Agege made this known in a message when he visited President Muhammadu Buhari, in Daura, to felicitate with him on the Eid-el Kabir celebrations.

“It is also to reassure him that going forward, the National Assembly is ready to provide the enabling environment for the contents of the next level agenda to be implemented,’’ Omo-Agege was quoted as saying.

“We felt it was right since the President of the Senate is far away in Saudi Arabia, offering prayers for this country and the National Assembly leadership.

“We came here to represent him and the Senate to felicitate with Mr President as he celebrates this feast.

“You know it has not been very easy for us as a country, but the challenges notwithstanding, Mr President has managed to steer the ship of state very successfully.

“So, we decided to visit him at home, to felicitate with him and congratulate him,’’ he said.

The deputy president of the Senate also expressed confidence on the capacity of ministers-designate to deliver the Next Level Agenda to Nigerians.

He said the compliance of President Buhari with all relevant rules in nominating the ministers-designate made them to successfully scale through the screening process.

“No doubt, the ministers-designate were carefully selected before their nomination by Mr President.

“We have full faith and confidence in Mr President’s judgment in the selection process.

“Our job at the senate is to ensure that all nominees meet the constitutional requirements for membership of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which are very simple.

“So, to a lot of us, it was a check list: the moment we found out that you are a Nigerian citizen, you are a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), you were cleared.

“You meet the basic educational qualification, which is education up to school certificate level; and you should not have been convicted of a crime within the last 10 years.

“We went through that, we relied on the confidence and capacity of Mr President to do the right thing, which he has done,” he said.

The legislator also urged citizens to continue to work for the peace, unity and progress of the country.

Recall that the Senate had screened and confirmed all 43 nominees sent by Buhari.

The President is expected to inaugurate the new cabinet on Aug. 21.