President Muhammadu Buhari has said that though he would have preferred that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed, he was ready to work with the leadership of the National Assembly that emerged on Tuesday.
In his reaction to the election of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively, President Buhari said that “a constitutional process has somewhat occurred”.
Buhari’s position which was conveyed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina reiterated that his earlier statement that he had no preferred candidates in the election of the President of Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives still stands.
The statement reads:
“President Muhammadu Buhari has noted the outcome of the just-concluded election of leaders of the National Assembly.
“A statement issued by the Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) said the president would rather that the process of electing the leaders as initiated and concluded by the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been followed. Nonetheless the President took the view that a constitutional process has somewhat occurred.
“President Buhari had said in an earlier statement that he did not have any preferred candidate for the Senate and the House of Representatives, and that he was willing to work with whoever the lawmakers elected. That sentiment still stands.
“Though he would have preferred the new leaders to have emerged through the process established by the party”.
Adesina stressed that the stability of our constitutional order and overall interest of the common man were uppermost on the President’s mind, as far as the National Assembly elections were concerned.
The President called on all the elected representatives of the people to focus on the enormous task of bringing enduring positive change to the lives of Nigerians.
(Vanguard)
