A former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on
Tuesday dared the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, including
President Muhammadu Buhari, and the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole,
by unfolding his agenda as a candidate for the Senate presidency in the
ninth National Assembly.
The party leadership had last week endorsed the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan, as the Senate president.
But on Tuesday, despite the stand of the
party, Ndume went ahead to unveil his nine-point agenda if elected as
the next Senate president on June 9.
The Borno South senator in a document, a
copy of which was made available to one of our correspondents in Abuja,
promised to improve upon the performance of the 8th Senate.
He also pledged to make the office of
the Senate President less attractive by reducing the unnecessary
privileges attached to it.
The former Senate majority leader
pledged to uphold the independence of the legislature and expressed his
willingness to “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the
executive without undermining the principle of separation of powers.”
Ndume said he would prioritise and
ensure the passage of the Constituency Development Bill to make
“constituency projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and
effective.”
He said the Senate would agree on
timelines for confirmation, passage of bills especially the annual
budgets, which he said, would not exceed 90 days from the day of
submission.
Ndume added, “We will make laws that
will block leakages devise improved means of generating revenue,
especially through the amendment and review of our tax laws which will
help to reduce reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget.
“We will run the 9th Senate
transparently, through open accountability with full participation of
all senators .For example, we will transfer the approving powers of the
privileges of the senators like foreign travels, allowances to Senate
services committee or a new committee to be known as “ways and means
committee.”
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