Mark to Okupe: Know your limits
Late last night, Mark and Tambuwal responded to what they called Okupe’s disrespectful remarks against the National Assembly and its leaders.
A statement by Mark’s spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan said, “It is instructive to first state that Senator Mark and Mr. President are on the same page in the onerous task of ensuring the actualisation of the transformation agenda of this administration.
“There was nothing derisive in the welcome address of the president of the senate at the budget presentation. We challenge Dr. Okukpe to revisit the speech and discover his misadventure.
“It is therefore strange that Dr. Okupe would meddlesomely attempt to create unnecessary disaffection between the legislature and the executive.
“It is common knowledge that budgets are estimates of revenues and expenditures of the Federation for the next financial year. Section 81 of the1999 Constitution (as amended) is very explicit. The position of the Senate which was expressed by the President of the Senate is that in line with constitutional provisions, the legislature has a right of appropriation.
“Dr. Okupe as a public affairs manager has a responsibility to make friends and create a harmonious working relationship between the executive and other arms of government. His job is not to make enemies and create unfavorable atmosphere for Mr. President.
“It is therefore strange that Dr. Okupe would meddlesomely attempt to create unnecessary disaffection between the legislature and the executive.
“We take exception to such unwarranted attack on the Office of the President of the Senate and we urge Dr. Okupe to know his limits.”
Tambuwal: Okupe is ignorant
In a statement by his spokesman Imam Imam, Tambuwal said the “remarks of the two leaders where in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and that all statements by the two leaders were backed by facts and figures from field studies by the legislators and expert advises.
“It is apparent that Okupe is dabbling into areas where he is totally ignorant about. The uncouth manner in which he replied elected representatives showed his apparent lack of respect to the legislature as an institution. The entire remarks he made gave him out as an overzealous official doing a hatchet job in order to be relevant in the scheme of things.
“The Speaker and the House of Representatives will always stand by the tenets of good governance and true representation at all times.”
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