Buhari, Gbajabiamila Meet over Rising Election Violence, Dispute over Cash Policy

•Speaker says 2023 budget will be passed tomorrow

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday, brainstormed over the rising incidence of violent attacks at political parties’ rallies and the controversy over the newly introduced cash withdrawal limit by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Gbajabiamila revealed that the National Assembly would, tomorrow, Thursday, pass the 2023 budget estimate of the federal government. He disclosed this to newsmen at State House, Abuja, after a closed-door meeting at the president’s office, describing his meeting with the president as routine and meant to deliberate on key national issues, while not revealing the outcome.

The speaker also clarified that the House of Representatives was not involved in the ongoing controversy stirred by its member representing Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa and Yankwashi Federal Constituency in Jigawa State, Hon. Gudaji Kazaure, over the alleged missing N89 trillion accruing from Stamp Duty.

On the purpose of the meeting, Gbajabiamila said, “It’s the regular routine discussions on state matters, and of national interest. I haven’t seen the president in a little while. He’s been away. He just got back. Of course, also his birthday. But more importantly, we had to discuss issues surrounding state matters.”

According to Gbajabiamila, “Things have come up, you know, things have come up in the last few weeks. Things come up every day. And the last few days, some things have come up.

“I’m sure you know some of these things. And I just wanted to get his perspective on them and give him mine and the National Assembly’s perspective and position on those matters. And we had a fruitful discussion.”

Asked regarding the specific issues discussed at the meeting, Gbajabiamila stated, “Well, I wasn’t actually intending to talk to the press. It was just a discussion between the president and I, but, of course, there were issues around cashless policy, issues around elections and violence that seems to be erupting here and there, and a couple of other very important matters as well.”

He noted that the House was not involved in the Stamp Duty controversy, because Kazaure was working with his team independent of the legislature, adding, “Kazure, from my understanding, is working with whoever he’s working with.

“If it necessitates the House coming in, we will come in. If he has an official function, he should go ahead and do his work. But this has nothing to do with National Assembly. Not that I know of.”

Probed further on the legislature’s involvement, the speaker stressed, “No, no, no, no, no. It was not based on a resolution of the National Assembly. It was not based on a motion from the National Assembly.

“I believe he said he had the executive authority to do what he’s doing. If that be the case, then, it’s got nothing to do with the National Assembly.”

On whether the House might call the Jigawa lawmaker to order, Gbajabiamila said Kazaure had not infringed on the character of the House or its members to necessitate that.

He stated, “The House can only call Kazure to order to the extent that he is impugning on the integrity of the House or individuals or leadership of the House, that has nothing to do with what he’s doing.

“I think it’s important to separate the two. If he has a mandate to do something, that’s on him. When it came up, we had asked members of the executive, they said they were not aware of any mandate or such mandate has been withdrawn.

“I don’t want to get into it. I don’t want to get into it, except to the extent that he tries to impugn on the integrity of members of the House. And that’s a no no. We have nothing to do with this.”

Projecting on the activities of the House next year, Gbajabiamila pointed out that the Green Chamber would round off the ninth session and go on break to campaign for the elections soon.

He said, “We’re going to be rounding off our session. And, of course, you know, when we resume in January, it’s going to be just barely five weeks before elections. So, it’s probably going to have very little time to sit with maybe about a week to 10 days before we all go for campaigns and elections.

“In that one week to 10 days, we intend to cram in a lot. For now, we’re going to pass the budget on Thursday. Hopefully, when we come back in January, we’ll do some housecleaning matters. Like I said, things come up every single day in Nigeria. So, we don’t know what’s going to come up any time and then we close for for campaigns.”

He used the opportunity to congratulate President Buhari on his recent 80th birthday anniversary, saying, “The president was in America during his birthday. Many of us were not available with him in America to wish him well. But we did wish him happy birthday. And I did the same thing upstairs with him.

“We wished him very good birthday, good tidings and I prayed for his longer life, continued protection and Allah’s continued blessings on his life. So, happy birthday to Mr. President.”