Sen. Dino Melaye has resumed his legislative activism after weeks of medical intention, and he first blasted President Muhammadu Buhari for deriding the National Assembly, and for appointing a government appointee to head his Buhari Support Organisation.
Buhari accused the NASS of National Assembly last week of idleness.
“Let anybody come and confront me publicly in the National Assembly. What have they been doing? Some of them have been there for 10 years. What have they been doing?” he asked.
He said this while receiving the delegation of Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the Presidential Villa on May 22.
Melaye described the statement as “unpresidential” and “unconstitutional.”
“As a senator who came to the National Assembly in 2007, about eleven years ago, I am particularly unhappy that my privilege is abused by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari last week.
“Last week, the president in the Presidential Villa while addressing the delegation of the Buhari Campaign Organisation and this was televised in Channels Television and AIT and I have a copy to tender.
The lawmaker said such statement by Mr Buhari is the reason why some government appointees disrespect the National Assembly.
“One then begins not to wonder why we will summon the IG and he refused to come. We are not then surprised why Directors-General and heads of agencies will refuse to honour the summons of the Senate. Because the body language and the statement of the president is already demeaning the integrity of the National Assembly,”he said.
About the BSG, Melaye noted that such group should not be led by a government appointee, Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, as was the case.
“Comptroller-General of Customs is a rank and customs is a para-military organisation and if the Comptroller-General of Customs will be leading Buhari Campaign Organisation; that is an aberration and his oath of office.
“So that this will not continue, so that very soon we will not see the IG attending the APC convention on June 23rd. so that we will not see the Chief of Army Staff shouting APC in some of the campaigns. We must as a Senate take a strong decision today to protect our institution.
According to him, such political affiliation despite their offices is reducing those government institutions.
“And our responsibility we have at this Senate is to preserve these institutions.”
He called on Mr Buhari to apologise to the National Assembly for the statement while urging his colleagues to address the practice of heads of agencies getting involved in politics.