We must have done some things that Nigerians don’t like, but we did our work well – Ahmed Lawan speaks on the 9th Assembly

Ahmad Lawan, the Senate President, has expressed his lack of concern regarding the characterization of the 9th National Assembly, under his leadership, as a rubber stamp assembly.

During an interaction with the Senate Press Corps at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday, June 7, Lawan acknowledged that despite reservations held by some Nigerians regarding the amicable relationship between the legislative and executive branches, former President Muhammadu Buhari assented to 112 bills passed by the 9th parliament.

Furthermore, Lawan expressed his dismay at the high turnover of members in the National Assembly after each election cycle, emphasizing that this pattern hampers institutional memory and is detrimental to its functioning.

He said; “The relationship between us and the executive has been described in so many ways. But everything has a price. If you don’t do well, it has a price but this National Assembly, no matter what anybody will call it, we did what we could to help the executive.

“We changed the budget cycle and to the glory of God we passed the budget before the end of December. It makes us feel proud. Former President Buhari assented to 112 bills. Some have come to reform our economy, the petroleum industry and the electoral process.

“We have done so many things in good ways and make our people happy, but as humans we must have done somethings that Nigerians don’t like, but on the whole, we did our work well. I am not bothered that the Senate under my watch was called rubber stamp.

“If wishes were horses, I would have loved that the turn over of lawmakers will be minimal. Each time, 70% are dropped, capacity development would start all over again, but that’s the choice of Nigerians.”