National Political Movement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths has disclosed plans to honour the senate president Ahmad Lawan with an award of excellence for his loyalty and commitment in piloting the affair of the senate.
The is just as horse trading and lobbying has intensified among lawmakers in the race for the senate presidency, with the South East looking upbeat to clinch the country’s number three position.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, chairman of the national political movement of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths, Onwe Goodluck, disclosed that they chose Lawan for the prestigious award of excellence following his proven track records at the senate.
Goodluck said in his first term, the senate president impressed many Nigerians with his legislative diligence through the number of infrastructural projects, bills and motions he facilitated.
He said the smooth passage of bills and national budget had been a major failure for previous assemblies until Lawan emergence as president.
He said, “The 9th Assembly under Lawan has witnessed rancour free sessions, peaceful coexistence, unity and development that has benefited Nigerians. This no doubt remains one of the biggest achievements of the 9th senate and the entire National Assembly in 2019.”
“Delays in passage of national budget had been a major failure for previous assemblies as it usually takes not less than three or four months to pass it. This was not different in the 8th senate. In 2016, President Buhari presented the budget on December 22, but it was not passed until March 23, 2017. The 2018 budget was presented on December 14, 2017, and passed on March 11 of the next year. The 2019 budget was passed on April 30 after it was first presented to the National Assembly in December 19, 2018.
“The National Assembly had blamed delayed budget passage on late presentation, failure of MDAs to appear before committees, oversight functions, among others. But this time, the 2020 budget was presented on October 8 and passed on December 8. This time also, all MDAs were present to defend their budgets – this is not unrelated to the president’s instruction asking representatives of MDAs to remain in the country until after their budget defence.”
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