Why Saraki, Dogara travelled to London to see Buhari

THE leadership of the National Assembly, which flew into London for talks with President Muhammadu Buhari, planned the trip in order to douse possible tension when the legislature resumes next week.

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara and the Senate leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, left the country to visit the president, who is on vacation in London.

Sources in the National Assembly confirmed that the leadership of the National Assembly would also discuss issues relating to the 2017 budget, especially the discovery of some frivolous items already slated for removal with the president.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yusuff, was slated for the trip but could not make it because of some official engagements at ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja.

It was gathered in Abuja on Wednesday that the meeting with Buhari became imperative, in view of the nature of the legislature, especially as some lawmakers may want to raise motions on the prolonged absence of the president.

The president had put a call through to both Saraki and Dogara last week, with the duo confirming that the president was in a good spirit during their conversation.

Sources said the trip would afford the leadership of National Assembly the opportunity of firsthand information about the state of health of the president.

“The meeting between the president and the select leaders of the National Assembly is scheduled to take place at 8.00 p.m on Wednesday. The meeting will afford the leaders opportunity to also assess the true state of the president’s health so as to be in position to tell their colleagues there is no cause for alarm. They will definitely report to their colleagues,” a source in the legislature said.

Saraki and Lawan were said to have jetted out to London on Tuesday evening, while Dogara left early on Wednesday.

The president, confirming the visit on his Twitter handle, @mbuhari later in the evening, said “pleased to receive Senate President Saraki, Speaker Dogara and Senate Leader, Lawan, in London this evening.

“I thank them for visiting. I’m also grateful to Nigerians, Christians and Muslims alike, for their prayers and kind wishes for my health.”

The tweet was also accompanied by photographs taken during the visit.