Discussion of NASS leadership with Buhari in Aso Rock

SPEAKING after the meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Bukola Saraki said the meeting discussion was on budget, security and other issues, saying that the NASS leadership also gave the president their opinion during the interaction.

The meeting which has been fixed on three occasions but was cancelled off at the last minutes took place at the First Lady Wing of the Aso Rock presidential villa, started at 9pm and ended at about 10.35pm.

The senate president said the meeting in Aso Rock gave both side the opportunity to share ideas.

“The legislature was working on the 2018 budget,” He said, noting that some agencies of government were yet to defend their budget

“We are hoping that with the speed up now, they will come and defend their budget,”

Also speaking, the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, said it was an in-house meeting because they wanted to continue to build harmonious relationship.

He said the president gave them update on security, economy, job creation, while the processes in the National Assembly especially with regards to the budget was also discussed.

The SGF said the president stressed the need to conclude on budget and had now and given instruction that all ministers and parastatals to ensure that they appear before the National Assembly to defend their submissions “so that we can get this out of the way.”

• State police: Challenges and reality

He added: “You know this is a very dynamic year and there are preparation for elections and we are having quite a lot of security challenges and so, if we don’t appropriate, where will the money come from to do all that is required?