Ambassadorial list: Relationship between executive, legislature cordial, says APC

Chief  Odigie-Oyegun

The All Progressives Congress on Wednesday insisted that the relationship between the three arms of government, particularly the Executive and the Legislature is healthy and strong.
National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun gave this assurance in his first official reaction to a statement credited to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
The Makarfi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party had said the rejection of President Muhammadu Buhari’s list of non-career ambassadors was a clear evidence of unhealthy relations between the APC-led executive and legislature.
 Odigie-Oyegun in a statement he personally signed in Abuja said there was no rift between the executive and legislature following the Senate’s return of the list of non-career ambassadors to the presidency for review.
The party chairman noted that the Senate, in adopting the report of its Committee on Foreign Affairs stated on Tuesday that the decision to return the list followed petitions received on the nominations and went ahead to propose that the presidency reviewed the ambassadorial list.
 Odigie-Oyegun said, “Hence, attempts by the PDP to give the Senate’s action a political coloration and other negative interpretations are unnecessary and misleading.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is a democrat and does not subscribe to the idea of ‘controlling’ the National Assembly as was the practice with the PDP during its 16-year misrule of the country.
“Respect for the principle of the Rule of Law and the constitutional provisions of Separation of Power between the three arms of government is a best practice and also healthy for our democracy. The powers and duties of the three arms of government are clearly spelt out in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and President Muhammadu Buhari respects them.”

Source: Punch Newspapers