SAN FRANCISCO, November 04, (THEWILL) – The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has warned against reading political meaning to the decision of the Senate to reject the $30bn loan request by President Muhammadu Buhari, explaining that the external borrowing request was a work in progress.
He stated this on Friday after meeting behind closed-doors with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He was accompanied to the President’s office by Senator Danjuma Goje.
Buhari met separately with Saraki and former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, in his office, shortly after they joined him for Jumat prayers at the mosque inside Aso Rock.
Addressing State House correspondents afterwards, Saraki also stated that the Senate’s decision should not be viewed as a reflection of the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.
His words, “I came here to pray. I have finished praying and I just had a general felicitation with the President. It did not go beyond that.
“We should not look at the loan request as a reflection of the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. Don’t let us politicise very important issues. As we said, this is work in progress.”
Recall that the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, had explained that Buhari’s request for $29.9bn foreign loan was rejected due to technical issues, even as he expressed optimism that the issues would be resolved and that the request would be presented afresh.
Briefing newsmen shortly after Tuesday’s plenary, Ndume said, “The problem came on a technical ground; it is supposed to go to the committee level and the committee is supposed to take a look at it.
“I am going to appeal to my colleagues to take a look at it again and see how we are going to bring it back.
“One of the technical things that were missing is that in the letter, if you read it, says: ‘attached is a draft’ but there was no attachment.
“So, these are some of the lapses that we will look at in bringing it back.
“We were thinking that there was going to be details but there was no detail of the borrowing plan. I believe that those will be included in the next one.”
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