Nigerians should be worried if executive, legislature don’t disagree - Presidential aide

Ita Enang, the senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on national assembly matters (senate)‎, says Nigerians should be worried if the executive and legislative arms of government “work hand in gloves”.

Addressing state house correspondents on Thursday, Enang said the disagreements ‎between the two arms of government are necessary for democracy to thrive.

He said though there could be tension between both arms, there is no indication that they are at loggerheads.‎

“If at any time you find the legislature hands in gloves with the executive, without the executive raising questions or the legislature asking questions, the public should be worried,” he said.

“That is why we have separation of powers. Each arm should check the other. When these checks arise, that is when the public feels there is tension, but there is absolutely no tension.

“I am here to confirm to you that the relationship between the executive and the legislature is very cordial, constitutional, and in all manners, usual.

“The relationship between the president and the senate president is perfect and very cordial, personal and official.”

Enang said if the federal lawmaker had issues with his principals, they will not be coming to the presidential villa as often as they had been doing in recent times.

“You have seen that many times the president of the senate and even the speaker of the house of representatives coming to have personal interactions with the president on the affairs of the legislature and other functions of the state,” he said.

“It appears that because of some incidences on the screening of some nominees, people think there is tension, but let me assure you that there is no tension.

“It is only that the constitution requires that when the president makes a nomination to the legislature, the legislature is to screen, consider and approve as thought fit. If the legislature has reason to have reservations, there is always consultation. It will make its opinion known to the executive by way of appropriate communication.

“Even if it appeared in the past that there were tensions, the actions of this week: the consultations between the president and the leaders of the national assembly have doused that.

“In all the issues that have arisen, no question was raised against the action of the president. This shows that in all manners, the president has not done anything that will make the legislature to call him to question.”