Ahmad Lawan, majority leader of the senate, says the national assembly will not become President Muhammadu Buhari’s “rubber stamp” if he is elected senate president.
Lawan told journalists in Abuja on Saturday that although he is a fan of Buhari, his support for the president will not jeopardise the upper legislative chamber under his leadership.
Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) had endorsed Lawan to succeed Bukola Saraki as senate president.
The Yobe lawmaker said he will ensure that the decisions of his colleagues be carried out without any fear or favour.
“I won’t deny it; I am a president Buhari man. I believe in him and I believe in my party because of the ideals they stand for. But if you believe in someone and they have an issue that you think can be carried out in a certain way other than the way it was presented, suggesting you go the other way demonstrates that you are really for that person.” he said.
“So my support for the president, for example, must not be misconstrued as going to make the national assembly a rubber stamp if I am senate president.
“The function of the legislature is for the members of the legislature in majority to take a decision after a debate or whatever; then the minority would have had their say and the decision goes to the majority. You cannot as a presiding officer say no, I am not going to go with that position. Else you will be sacked.”
Lawan also said that the legislature and executive must ensure they work harmoniously for the common good of Nigerians.
“If you choose to fight, the two arms suffer and the country suffers even more because it is not possible for you to fight and get something done for the country. I don’t belong to the school of thought of encouraging fighting between the two arms,” he said.
“When you have to work together, you will disagree, and by the design of the constition, the legislature has been given some functions that will naturally make the executive sit up.”