We Are Not Buhari's Rubber Stamp, Here's what we are - Senate President Lawan Cries Out

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has disclosed that the legislative arm of government is independent of the executive arm.

Lawan made the submission while countering claims that the 9th Senate under his leadership has become a rubber stamp for President Muhammadu Buhari, agreeing with everything the executive says.

Lawan noted that on many occasions, the lawmakers had disagreed with the executive arm but they always find a way to resolve issues in the interest of the nation.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Lawan said contrary to the general belief that they have become a rubber stamp for the executive, Nigerians should understand that the two arms of government are only working together for better service delivery to the country.

"Do you know that we have disagreed with Mr. President, the executive arm of government, many times? People don't know, because what we have adopted is to go behind the scenes and solve our problems,ÔÇØ he said.

"I have also witnessed better service delivery to the people when there was cooperation and mutual respect between the two arms.
"I think I will be unfair to myself, to the people and to the senators who elected me to choose right from the beginning to just fight in the name of independence of the legislature.
"I believe in the independence of the legislature more than people think. Now they say we are a rubber stamp assembly.

"What people don't know is that there is nothing that in the opinion of the Senate or national assembly that will jeopardise the liberty of our people or against the interest of the majority of Nigerians that we will do.

Lawan insisted that regardless of what people are saying, what the legislators are doing is governance and not rubber stamping.

"Call us anything, if you like, not rubber stamp, call us steel stamp or whatever it is. I can tell you, today this senate has done, in the last count, 27 confirmations.

"Tell me, if we didn't do those confirmations; tell me how governance will be carried on? There will be so much arbitrariness, maybe ministers will take advantage of where they are to supervise; there could be a lot of abuse.

"So, we shouldn't confirm people? If we confirm it is rubber stamping.ÔÇØ