By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
The newly formed G-77, a group of first-term senators in the 8th Senate, has declared that the 2016 Budget impasse between the National Assembly and the Presidency would come to an end, latest by Friday.
Briefing the journalists after the first meeting of the group yesterday, its chairman, Senator Godwill Akpabio, said the group being the majority in the Senate, would ensure that all differences between the executive and the National Assembly, particularly the Senate over the budget estimates, were addressed and sorted out before Friday, this week.
He said the group, contrary to media reports at the weekend, was not formed to fight President Muhammadu Buhari, but support him in giving Nigerians good governance.
He added that the group was also out to work hand in hand with the Senate leadership as presently constituted for enactment of laws that would make Nigeria more responsive and responsible to her citizenry and the citizenry more patriotic to the Nigerian project.
He said: “This is a maiden attempt to brief the Press on the G77 that you have been hearing about. It is true that a group like that has emerged in the Senate. And it is important for us to let you know that that group’s intention is to deepen democracy, and to ensure good
governance and also ensure that we shore up the image of the Senate and redirect affairs with our great numbers so that at the end of the day, Nigerians can get more dividends of democracy from this administration.
“I want to assure you that the entire 77 senators who make up this group are all poised to ensure that there is good governance in Nigeria. And we want to support Mr. President to ensure that he gives out dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
“As I speak to you now, outside these 77 senators, most of my colleagues who have been in the Red Chamber for a long time are applying to join the group. And they want to move it to G 90 so that we can always speak in one voice.
“The lingering issue on the budget is something that we feel is embarrassing to Nigeria, not just to the National Assembly as a whole. If we had a group like this, by now the issue would have been brought to an end.
“But just to reassure you that Mr. President will have his budget. And we are doing everything possible to re-jig the details of the 2016 budget for Mr. President to sign as soon as possible. And we hope we can finish that by this Friday so that things can kick-start
in the Nigerian economy.”
He stated further that the group is apolitical as it has its membership drawn across party lines in the Senate.
“The group is apolitical and cuts across Labour Party, PDP and APC. We are all senators of the 8th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are not interested in political parties, we are interested in Nigeria and we will be discussing only national issues. We are not set
to confront any executive; rather we will work with the executive.
“The intention of this group is to deepen democracy, ensure the sanitisation of the Senate and to shore up the image of the Senate and most importantly to give the President the needed support so that at the end of the day, we will have a better country for all,” the group further assured.
