The All Progressives Congress
(APC) says the “failure” of Senate President Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara,
speaker of the house of representatives, to rein in on “unruly” Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers is an indication that they planned to
embarrass President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari was booed by some
lawmakers when he presented the 2019 budget to a joint session of the national
assembly on Wednesday.
The lawmakers, comprising of
house of representatives members and senators, interrupted the president’s
speech.
In a statement, Lanre Issa-Onilu,
APC spokesman, said the act was “shameful.”
“By law, respect for the office
of the president or head of government in any clime is not a matter of choice
but a civic obligation sanctioned by laws. Being an opposition party or critic
is no licence for such wayward conduct by the PDP legislative caucus; most
especially against the president of the country,” Issa-Onilu said.
“Nigerians are not oblivious of
the actions and inaction of the national assembly presiding officers, Senate
President, Bukola Saraki and speaker, house of representatives, Yakubu Dogara
while the president was being heckled by the PDP legislative caucus.
“Their failure to rein in their
unruly PDP colleagues, while their show of shame lasted clearly confirmed that
the PDP members’ action was premeditated and orchestrated to embarrass the
President.
“When the APC was in opposition,
Nigerians will recall statements by the PDP government that the immediate-past
President Goodluck Jonathan did not personally present the national budget to
the national assembly based on fears that he will be heckled and embarrassed by
the opposition federal lawmakers at the time.
“The fears turned out to be
misplaced as that never happened when Jonathan eventually presented the
national budget. Such shameful and undignified practice has no place in our
progressive ideology.
“The PDP lawmakers and their
conniving leaders have a lot of questions to answer. First, we wonder why they
cannot stomach the evident and verifiable achievements of the APC-led
government in the areas of power, rail and road infrastructure, social
intervention programmes as contained in the proposed budget.
“The APC commends President
Muhammadu Buhari for remaining calm and focused during the budget presentation
despite the provocation from PDP lawmakers, an act of statesmanship that has
been acknowledged by Nigerians. We are equally proud of the APC lawmakers, who
stood firm in defence of the president and our great party during the budget
presentation.
“We call on the National Assembly
to rise above political and selfish interests by putting the country first in
its consideration of the proposed N8.83 trillion 2019 national budget.”
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