Buhari Hosts National Assembly Leadership to Dinner

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday night hosted principal officers of the National Assembly at a dinner in the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The dinner was meant to secure the cooperation of the lawmakers ahead of the presentation of the 2018 budget.

The dinner had initially been scheduled to hold on October 26, but was abruptly called off after the decision of the lawmakers to turn back at Aso Rock gate when the security officers insisted that they must undergo clearance before entry.

Buhari later apologised to the lawmakers and rescheduled the dinner for on Tuesday.
Present at the dinner were the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker, Yusuff Lassun.

Others were Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, Senate Deputy Leader, Ibn Na’Allah, Senate Whip, Olusola Adeyeye and Deputy Senate Whip, Francis Alimikhena.

Also present were: the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, Minority Whip, Philip Aduda, Deputy Minority Whip, Biodun Olujimi.

Also in attendance were: the House Whip, Ado Doguwa, Deputy Whip, Parley Iriase, Deputy House Minority Leader, Chukwuma Onyema, Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello.
The Minority Leader, Leo Ogor was conspicuously absent. He was said to have been brought down by an acute illness.

Also in attendance on the part of the executive were the president, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the yet to be sworn in Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, National Assembly liason officers, Ita Enang and Ismaila Kawu.