Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emodi, has declared that her colleagues who made disparaging comments about the legislature acted on their own. She made this clear in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday. It will be recalled that in recent times Dr Okupe, in particular, has made disparaging statements targeted at members of the National Assembly; a development that has elicited counter accusations from the legislative houses.
According to Emodi comments made by Presidential Special Adviser (Political), Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, and Special Assistant to the President (Media), Dr. Doyin Okupe, did not represent the thinking of the president.
She said it was imperative to put the records straight in view of recent developments which tend to portray a crisis of confidence between the executive and the legislature, “especially as it relates to some statements credited to some ministers and presidential aides.”
In her words, “Let me state categorically that the alleged statements neither reflect the views of the President, His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on the National Assembly nor the enormous respect he has for the institution… In other words, those to whom the statements were credited were on their own and never spoke the mind of Mr. President.
“The legislature remains the central link in the presidential system and Mr. President has by his leadership principles predicated on the rule of law and his personal political temperament as a listening President and one never averse to constructive criticism, ensured that both arms of Government work together for common good.”
