We’re ready for dialogue with Presidency –Senate

Senate, yesterday, described the composition of a presidential committee, that would interface with it as a good development.

On Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, told newsmen the Red Chamber will cooperate with the peace committee chaired by Vice President, yemi Osinbajo.

“The Executive Peace Initiative is a welcome development. We have heard about the initiative by President Muhammadu Buhari, in setting up a Presidential Committee on Executive-Legislature Relations to be headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“This initiative is a welcome development. It is a good step in the right direction.

“Senate, in particular, and the National Assembly, in general, is ready to co-operate with the group to resolve all grey areas standing on the way of the smooth working relationship needed to deepen our fledgling democracy and ensure good governance for the benefits of Nigerians.”

Senator Abdullahi also explained that Senate’s actions were always motivated by the need to entrench democracy and promote good governance but lamented that such actions had been misinterpreted by some persons.

He also decried the tendency by appointees of the president to always resort to use of uncomplimentary remarks against the Senate.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed, on Wednesday, that, at a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Buhari, a cabinet committee that will proffer a solution to the crisis between the two arms of government was set up by the president.

Senate had protested retention of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), despite rejection of his nomination, two weeks ago.

Several senators, at Tuesday plenary, spoke against consideration of communication from the presidency requesting confirmation for the nomination of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the 2019 general elections.