The Senate resumed from recess on Tuesday with its president, Bukola Saraki, declaring that it was not time to start politicking despite the coming election year, 2019.
He explained in his address, that starting politics at the moment ahead of the election year would distract them from completing some of the work they had started to improve the living standard of the people of the country.
According to him, politicking should not be allowed to override the agenda set by the legislature.
He said that the restriction was not for the legislators alone, but for the members of the executive arm of government and other politicians too.
As far as he was concerned, it would be most insensitive to the needs of the people of the country to do otherwise.
His words: “This is my appeal – it is too early for 2019 politicking to override the legislative agenda and the larger work of governance. We have begun a good thing with the economic core of our agenda; let us see it to its proper conclusion.
“It would be most insensitive to the needs of the people of this country if we were to do otherwise. I am directing this appeal not only to us in the chamber but to the National Assembly as a whole, as well as to the executive and indeed all political actors.
“Distinguished colleagues, it is my appeal to each and every one of us, that our legislative duty to Nigeria and her people, must be uppermost in our minds.
“We must not allow the upcoming 2019 elections to overshadow our work for the people that elected us – or distract us from that which we are mandated to do by the constitution and the trust reposed in us by the people.”
He added that it was necessary for the legislators to complete work on the different bills pending to fulfill their agenda.
