President Muhammadu Buhari has described Femi Gbajabiamila as a true patriot, a team player and a skillful parliamentarian.
Gatekeepers News reports that Buhari spoke at the presentation of the book “Mr Speaker” and unveiling of the Legislative Mentorship Initiative to mark the 60 birthday of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila in Abuja.
Buhari was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari.
He said the Speaker is one who looks beyond differences for the benefit of all.
“For him what matters is not so much the party differences but what unites Nigerians and that is why he is a passionate advocate for a peace democracy and unity of Nigeria. And no amount of parliamentary maneuvers or differences between parties would deviate him from this. He introduced the term legislative diplomacy. When there were issues between Nigerian and Ghanaian traders, He went to Accra and met with his colleagues and tried to resolve the issue.
“Mr President is very proud of the fact that he did not need to interfere in how the National Assembly runs because he had trust in the capacity in the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives and therefore he feels that with capable hands in both chambers of the NASS there is no need to interfere.
“It is also a fact that under the Speaker and leadership of the senate there is no automatic opposition and antagonism to the executive. The role of legislature is not to be antagonistic as a matter of routine, but to be partners for good governance for teh people of Nigeria. They are working together to make Nigeria better,” he said.
