NASS Will Suspend Recess If Need Be – Saraki

Dr Bukola Saraki, the President of the Nigeria Senate has reassured that the House will suspend its recess, if the legislative arm of government have solid reasons to do so.

Saraki made this known while responding to questions from journalists at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Naija News recall that the federal government has called for the suspension of recess, in order for the national Assembly to deal with serious issues that needs it attention such has the approval of funds for the 2019 general elections as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 24.

Saraki, however, said it was difficult to understand why the nation would shutdown because the National Assembly was on recess.

On the request for more funds for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he said it was amazing that people were not asking what INEC was doing that they did not submit their request until the lawmakers embarked on recess.

He said that the assembly “wants free and fair elections and allegations claiming that the institution is trying to sabotage INEC are not true”.

On the blockade at the Assembly Complex, Saraki said it was at times like that that the legislature played its role in fighting for democracy and the rule of law.

The president of the Senate said in cases where security agents went out of the ambits of the law, the legislature would take necessary actions that would ensure that they were called to order.

“This is why I commend the acting President for what he did. That action is long overdue; not just the DSS DG, a lot of the security agencies are doing things that are not in line with the Constitution.

“Several times we have summoned heads of security agencies to appear before the National Assembly in line with the Constitution but they do not.

“They should be sanctioned in the same way the DSS DG has been sanctioned. In Benue, security agents escorted eight members of the State House of Assembly to impeach the Governor, aiding illegality.

“The Executive knows what to do; we are saying that any security agency that acts against democracy should be sanctioned similarly and that is our position,” he said.