“Senators Will Approve Buhari’s Loan Request” – Saraki Says After Meeting The President

The President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, on Friday, in Abuja, warned against politicisation of the Senate’s rejection of President Muhammadu Buhari’s request for his administration to borrow 29.96 billion dollars.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls the Senate last week voted against President Buhari’s request for the 29.96 billion foreign loan due to technical issues.

Saraki, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari, however, dismissed the insinuation that the borrowing plan suffered setback in the Senate due to `political reason’.

“I just had a general felicitation with the President. It did not go beyond that.

“We should not look at that (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, nothing to worry about,’’ he said.

The Senate President had earlier joined President Buhari and hundreds of other Muslim faithful in performing the 2-Raka’at Juma’at (Friday) prayer, at the State House Mosque.

NAN also recalled that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday, told State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the executive would continue to engage the Senate on the benefits of the borrowing plan.

He expressed optimism that at the end of the day, the lawmakers would see reason and approve the President’s request.

“It is not unusual for the government and the Senate to have some disagreements; they (senators) want more information.

“We will continue to engage them. We will give them all the information they need.

“We are sure that by the time we finish, they will approve the request,’’ he said.

(NAN)