President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan has said the upper chamber under his leadership would not seek for friction with the Executive arm of government but cooperate with it in the overall national interest.
He restated his determination for a rosy relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari administration when he met with Forum of the All Progressive Congress (APC) state chairmen under the leadership of Ali Bukar Dalori.
Lawan said the Senate would focus on critical needs of Nigerians that would enhance better security environment, better power supply and an economy that will provide job opportunities for youths.
He said:” This Senate will subsume any individual interest for our collective interest.
“These are things that will continue to unite us. It is when we are able to tackle those issues in the collective interest of Nigeria particularly, that we are able to enjoy the privileges that we have.”
He said APC senators are committed to the success of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and would work seamlessly with him and the party.
“We have been elected to represent the Nigerian people. Mr President was overwhelmingly elected. We will have no difficulty in working with Mr President.”
The President of the Senate expressed gratitude to the lawmakers on the APC platform, saying he did not foresee any friction with his colleagues.
“When we campaigned for the election into the offices of the President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate the party must have seen how loyal and committed senators were. This was in clear difference with what happened in 2015.
“Therefore, Mr Chairman of chairmen, I don’t think I will ever invite you to come and intervene on my behalf when I will have any issue with any senator.
“I owe them a lot and should I disagree with someone it is going to be me who will explain to them.”
He called for a better dispute resolution mechanism in the party to curtail a situation where dispute snowballs into litigations.
“From my experience in 2019 elections or the process leading to the elections, we need to have a better dispute resolution mechanism.”
“So I will advocate for a dispute resolution mechanism that will ensure that our party is able to deal with issues as they emerge.
“Of course, naturally, we may have disagreement from time to time but what is important and crucial will be how we are able to tackle the disagreement and come back to agree and move forward.”
The President of the Senate told his guests that he enjoys the overwhelming support of his colleagues in the opposition, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party.
“We are happy we have the support of our colleagues from the opposition parties. They have demonstrated their commitment to work with us.
“We too have also resolved to work with them in the interest of our country and for Mr President and our party to succeed in taking us to the next level”.
He thanked the states chairmen of the APC for their role in the victory of the party in 2019 general election.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the Forum, who is also the Borno state APC chairman, Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori advised the APC senators to ensure the smooth working relationship with the executive.