Senate is not executive's stooge, says Ibru
From Sunny Ogefere,
Asaba
FAR from the belief in some quarters, the nation's Senate is committed to the overall interest of the citizenry and it is not a stooge of the executive arm of government.
The Senator representing Delta State Central Senatorial District, Olorogun Felix Ibru gave this assurance yesterday after an unscheduled visit to Delta State House of Assembly.
According to Ibru, the Senate takes into consideration the views of a majority of the people in the resolution of issues.
Ibru, who was the first executive governor of Delta State, said the National Assembly has so far performed creditably and had exerted its influence when it is necessary.
"The Senate does not play to the gallery because we are almost the last resort on legislative matters," he stated.
He said that decisions in the Senate were collectively taken, adding that no decision is a product of an individual.
"I think we need to be a little bit patient with the National Assembly... more so when you realise that the legislative arm is not a confrontational organisation", the Senator urged
Ibru explained that the legislature had been the worst hit by the military incursion into governance in Nigeria as the arm has not been opportune to gain from past experiences over the decades as was the case with the executive and the judiciary.
He explained that the Senate had to adopt a cautious attitude towards issues before it because of the implication of being the highest law-making body in the country.
Reacting specifically to the President's bill, which seeks to decentralise the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Senator said that the Senate would allow the minority to have their say and the majority have their way.
Earlier, the former governor had been spotted at the public gallery of the State House of Assembly and was promptly invited by the Speaker to sit in the main chamber and observe the deliberations.
He thanked the House for the recognition given him and praised what he described as high standard of debate in the state legislature.
Also, he expressed his condolence to the House, the state Governor Chief James Ibori and the entire state over the death of the governor's mother, Mrs. Comfort Ibori.
