Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki today gave assurance that there the Senate would play its role in ensuring those nominated for ministerial appointments are screened without delay once a list is sent by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Saraki said this while receiving the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gaver, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
According to him, the process would be fast-tracked to ensure that the suspension of plenary does not disturb serious government business like the screening of ministers. He said that was why he has continued to reiterate the fact that the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly will resume plenary when there is any urgent matter of national importance.
In response to comments by the French Envoy, the Senate President said that though the Senate is currently on break but “we are working and we are ready to reconvene any time to attend to any national assignment, including the confirmation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees”.
He pledged the cooperation of the National Assembly with the executive arm of the government in accomplishing the programmes of the administration.
He said said bills from the executive arm of government would be treated with dispatch, as part of efforts to support the President to effect the positive change expected from his administration by Nigerians.
Saraki also told the gathering that the Senate has commenced work already with the setting up of the 18 man committee to formulate a realistic and progressive Legislative Agenda, which he said would address issues like poverty alleviation, law enforcement, national security, commercial disputes, eradication of corruption and investments in the Petroleum sector.
The Senate president said that the National Assembly will partner with the French National Assembly in the area of capacity building for legislators, strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries and ensuring that more French investments flow into Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, the French envoy solicited for cooperation between the National Assembly and the President Buhari-led executive arm of government, while he described the leadership tussle at the National Assembly as part of democracy.
He also called for cooperation between the private sector in Nigeria and its counterpart in France.