Sen. Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, wants a strong National Assembly rather than one that simply rubber stamps legislation.
Adams Oshiomhole, the senator-elect for the Edo North Senatorial District, made this statement to reporters on Tuesday during the presentation of certificates of return to senator-elects in Abuja.
”Our president-elect looks forward to a senate that would contribute to the development of the country.
”I will not be part of the legislator for the powerful but to the countrymen,” he said.
Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had been been the voice of the people as a textile union activist, NLC President, and Governor of Edo , even in his choice of projects.
“I will be part of the senate that legislates for the good people of our countrymen, not for the powerful, by making sure that what we do in appropriation will be such that Nigerians get value for money.
“It is expected that the executive is powerful but does not have absolute power, so it will not be subject to legislative check.
“We are not there for the allowance. There are couple of things that can be done differently so that the renewed hope of our party can be translated into reality.
“Even the president-elect will not look forward to a rubber stamp assembly but the one that can help to contribute to knowledge.
“Nobody has absolute knowledge but working together and negotiating to have a win-win formula that will contribute to the dividends of democracy,” he said.
Oshiomhole also said that the 10th Senate would work for economic growth, robust GDP that would rely on power reforms.
“The current problem we face in the power sector was because it was meant to favour friends and relatives, who knows nothing about power.
“Now we have to find the courage to deal with a system that makes citizens pay bills for power they did not consume, which for me is fraud.
“Government must protect its citizens, and customers must be protected otherwise all the energy spent to vote for a few guys enjoy does not worth my while.
“ There are couple of things we have to do differently.”
Oshiomole said that the 10th Senate would also look into the issue of petroleum products.
“We still see long queues and each time I see the queues I feel agitated because I fought against these obnoxious policies when I was the President of NLC.
“We must take a radical action to ensure that the petrol we consume is refined in Nigeria.
”I will not go to the senate to lament but make laws that would be enforced,” Oshiomhole said.(NAN)
