(By Fred Itua, Ndubuisi OrjiABUJA)
Barely 24 hours after a proposed plan by President Muhammadu Buhari to seek emergency powers from the National Assembly to push for his planned stimulus for the ailing economy, lawmakers have taken positions on whether or not it will sail through.
According to reports, part of the aims of the bill is to secure special powers for the president to enable him rescue the dying economy which has ‘technically’ entered into a recession, create more jobs, boost the country’s foreign reserves, revive the manufacturing sector, among other things.
But lawmakers who spoke with our correspondents in Abuja yesterday, were sharply divided on the possibility of the bill being passed.
Frontline supporter of President Buhari and chairman of Senate committee on Petroleum ( Downstream) Senator Kabir Marafa said that he will wholeheartedly support the bill if it is eventually forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.
He said that, as a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he was duty-bound to support any good initiative of the party, adding that the proposed move will be in the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
Marafa said: “I will support anything from the presidency. I am a party member. I will support anything from my party, my government and above all, it is in the interest of the country and the economy. There is no Nigerian that will not support anything good for the country and the economy, regardless of his or her party affiliations.”
He, however, downplayed fears harboured by some lawmakers that the bill will usurp their powers.