Exclusive: Buhari’s SSA opens up on rift between executive and Senate (video)

– There has been a lingering rift between the legislature and the executive

– Ita Enang, the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on national assembly matters (Senate) has cleared the air on the matter

– He said each body carries out their duties as expected and work in unity when the need arises

Ita Enang, the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on national assembly matters has said the relationship between the Senate and the executive has been cordial.

In an exclusive interview with Chinenye Ugonna of NAIJ.com, he said the relationship has been very warm although some members of the public will have different views.

He said each body carries out their duties as expected and work in unity when the need arises.

“On the question of separation of powers, each of them has exercised the powers vested on them without prejudice that each of them has.

“The President has a budget, he brings it because the constitution says he should bring it here, the legislature passes the budget, they send it back to the executive.

READ ALSO: Senate Warns Buhari Against Undermining The 8th Senate

“They have nominations and screening, the constitution says send it  here, and they will, then after screening and passage, they will send it to the President,” he said.

However, Enang said there is no measure of the President that has suffered any delay on the floor of the Senate or House of representatives which measure the level of warmth between the two bodies.

“Therefore the relationship is cordial. When it is not cordial, you will see some executive measures suffering some measures or delay but in all that we had, the budget, the supplementary budget, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, (MTEF), screening of the nominees, ambassadorial nominees, the bills etc.

“Remember the legislature introduced a bill extending the implementation of the bill from December 31 to March 31 2016 and the executive did not say no.

“I did not introduce it, they signed it, believing that the legislature are made up of 360 intelligent Nigerians representing all the constituencies in the House of representatives and 109 senators 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“In a situation where you have disputes and disagreements, you will not have that happening. There is a question of mutual respect so the relationship has been very beautiful,” he said.

READ ALSO: There Is No Rift Between Executive and Legislature – Presidency

This is not the first time Mr Enang has said this. He had earlier said there was no rift between the two arms of government.

Meanwhile, following the passage of the 2016 budget, there has been lingering disagreements between the two arms of governments,

The Senate rejected the second version of the 2016 budget document brought by the presidency to the National Assembly failed a series of integrity tests carried out on it.

The 2016 budget rejected was replacement of the original version submitted to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, had disclosed that they had two versions of the budget and Mr Enang, printed a different version from the copy laid by President Buhari on Tuesday, December 22, before a joint session of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly however announced the indefinite postponement of 2016 budget passage, which had been earlier scheduled for February 25, due to various controversies surrounding the document.

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