The senate majority leader, Ali Ndume, on Monday, stated that the National Assembly was not in conflict with President Muhammadu Buhari over the 2016 budget.

While noting that the budget crisis would soon be resolved, Ndume, who represents Borno South, Borno state, stated that the conflict with the Presidency was just a minor issue, saying that the impasse between both arms of government was normal in democracy.

Ndume stated this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri. He said that: “Nigerians should know that the National Assembly does not have any conflict with the president on the budget, but we might have minor disagreement.

“The major challenge that the National Assembly has is not disagreement with the president. The challenge that we have is how to do what the president is asking us to do within the law.”

“Disagreement between the legislature and executive is normal. The executive prepare the budget and present it to the legislature for processing and the legislature sends it back for assent after processing.”

“Usually, the president takes a look at it and if he is comfortable with it, he signs and if he not comfortable, he takes note of the areas and sends it to the legislature for ratification.”

“This is where we are now, but the unfortunate thing is that because of the change in government, the attitudes of Nigerians have also changed, which is normal.”

“Nigerians are so anxious because Buhari is a new president they are expecting so much from; they are expecting to see changes quickly.”

Ndume also said that the National Assembly had had similar disagreement on budget with previous administrations of presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.

He further said that: “The leadership of the National Assembly will sit down and talk to the president on the issue this week.”

“We were supposed to have met last week, but we shifted the meeting to this week due to some factors.”

Mazi Emeka