NASS crisis: APC govs wade in, meet Buhari at Aso Villa

In a bid to find lasting solution to the lingering crisis in the National Assembly, especially with regards to leadership of the two chambers, Senate and House of Representatives, governors elected on the platform of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, have intervened in the matter.

Recall that the relationship between the Presidency and Senate had been strained by the ongoing trial of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others over alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules.

Besides the case of Saraki and Co, another matter involving Speaker Yakubo Dogara of the House of Representatives, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun and an aggrieved erstwhile chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumuni Jibrin, over budget padding had brewed last week.

However, the APC Governors Forum, led by their chairman and governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, paid Buhari a visit at the villa to trash out these issues.

The meeting, which held behind closed doors, started at about 2pm and ended after two hours.

Filing out after the meeting at about 4 pm, Okorocha said they sought the permission of President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the legislatures’ crisis, underscoring the need for the National Assembly to focus on their statutory mandate than embracing frivolities and trivialities.

He also said the visit was to show solidarity to the President on the feats achieved so far in the anti-corruption and anti-terrorism wars

He said: “We have come to reassure Mr. President that the APC governors are solidly behind him. His fight against corruption, his fight against insurgents and all his laudable projects.

“We are concerned about the incessant happenings in the National Assembly and we have taken it upon ourselves to look into the matter.

“We are going to look into the matter because we need a strong, vibrant National Assembly to make things move fast in the country.”