Executive, Reps Rift: My Views Were Misrepresented

The Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr Sam Sam Jaja, has said his views on the disagreement between the Executive and the House of Representatives on the implementation of the 2012 budget during a press conference last Friday in Abuja was seriously misrepresented by a section of the media.

“I have noted quite an avoidable misrepresentation of the position of our great party as contained in my address to the media yesterday,” Jaja noted

In a statement by Dr Jaja, the PDP explained that it neither said it would not compel the House of Representatives to drop the impeachment threat on the President; which does not exist in the real sense, nor admitted that the President committed an impeachable offence as reported by one, out of the several media organisations that attended the press briefing.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our position is that the Peoples Democratic Party was founded on unbending democratic principles and thrives on irreducible democratic practices that do not conduce to unnecessary imposition of views.  Our manifesto  is crystal clear on our thrust as a broad and issue-based political party whose essence orbits in the unrestricted, robust debate of crucial  national issues, whether in the Parliament or in the larger Nigerian society. The critical role that this plays in ferreting out the odds and getting the best out of our democracy cannot be equalled. We are proud that the National Assembly dominated by our great party has been sensitive to this,” the statement said.

“On the other hand,” the statement continued, “President Jonathan’s unimpeachable deference to market place of ideas as demonstrated in his unequalled commitment to the separation of powers and the unabridged rights of Nigerians to unhindered electoral choice-demonstrated in successive governorship elections- stem from a resolve of a leader that the foundation of good governance must not be assailed. We are in deed proud.”

According to the PDP, the issues bordering on the implementation of the 2012 budget are simply those of reconcilable grey areas, maintaining that the PDP-led House of Representatives had never tabled an impeachment motion on the matter.  ”It is for this reason that I made it abundantly clear in my statement to the press that both the President and the House of Representatives have reasonable positions on the issue of budget implementation which we, as a party and the Guardian of both the Executive and the Legislature can intervene on, if need be.  However, the statement concluded, “we are confident that Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly is well capable of handling this as she has been doing.”

The party further urged Nigerians to disregard the report which was obviously intended to detract from the firm confidence the PDP has in the synergy of the two arms of government controlled by it in fully implementing its manifesto and delivering on its electoral promises to the people.