BY Taiwo George
Senate President Bukola Saraki on Tuesday said his visit to the presidential villa in Abuja was not just for the purpose of submitting the list of confirmed ministers to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari and Saraki had a private meeting after the presentation of the list, which was done in the presence of their aides, but Saraki did not go into specifics of the meeting.
He told reporters that his ongoing trial at the code of conduct tribunal (CCT) did not feature during the personal discussion with the president.
“There were other things that we discussed… We discussed for about 20 minutes on some major issues. So it wasn’t just about the letter,” he said.
Saraki saw reasons with the president’s decision not to have up to 36 ministers.
The senate president said the country is passing through challenging times, adding that the senate will give the executive arm of government all the necessary support that it needs.
“Well I think before you had ministers of state in the past, I don’t think there is anything new; there was minister for special duties which really don’t have portfolio,” he said.
“I think the key issue is being in cabinet, [it] is being part of government and those that would have the responsibilities of ministering are those that, at the end of the day, would do that.
“So minister of state is not new. We had it before, if you remember that very well. Honestly, I believe we need to move away from the small issues and begin to focus on the major issues. I think the country presently now is at a very trying time no doubt about it.
“We have the challenges of revenue drop, challenges in trying to boost revenue and create jobs and you know we have some of these issues which we really need to address and I think that it is time for us to address them and these are some of the issues we looked at as a senate. It is time for us to give support to the executive to move the country forward and I think all of us, apart from those in the legislature and the executive and even those of you in the media, we must begin to proffer and put our country in a positive view otherwise there is no way we are going to have those major issues addressed.
“As I said, it is not new in having all not full time ministers, but let us wait to see what portfolio or responsibility some of them will have. I cannot speak on behalf of the president on that, but we have done our own constitutional responsibility.”
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