TheCable

Senate President Ahmad Lawan says the All Progressives Congress (APC) needs the opposition parties to create stability in the 10th national assembly.

Lawan spoke on Friday after paying homage to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock villa on the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr.

The senate president said the ruling party was confident that the opposition parties would not “usurp” presiding officers’ positions because his party is united.

“APC is a united party and the opposition party will simply work with the APC majority for us to have stability because there is no way the opposition will decide who should be the senate president or who should be the speaker,” Lawan said.

“It is our party and other leaders that will decide which zone or whoever, and the rest of us in the party will key in and of course, the opposition would have no option but to support.

“I don’t see anything wrong in the opposition talking to us, or we talking to the opposition to ensure that we’re on the same page because we need opposition to ensure that we get most of our constitutional amendments when the time is right, passed.

“Because we can’t have 73 in the senate. So, you need 73 senators at least for you to have any constitutional amendment done. So, you would need opposition.

“That’s why it is very, very critical, it is very essential that you work with opposition right from the beginning.”

Lawan said the opposition should not be neglected because the legislature needs a bipartisan approach to be productive.

He said the Buhari administration is closing on a very strong note.

“This administration has provided so much infrastructure across the country like no other administration did before. This administration, this president particularly assented to legislation more than any previous president, especially in the last four years,” the senate president said.

“And we are so proud of this administration, that we have been able to achieve so much, and therefore, it is a thing of joy for all of us to come and celebrate with Mr President, Eid-el-Fitr today, Friday.”