NASS Leadership: We’ve learned our lessons from outgoing dispensation – Presidency

*Dismisses insinuation Buhari’s allies in APC are singled out for punishment

The Presidency says it will not sit down while the leadership of the incoming dispensation of the National Assembly goes the other direction like the outgoing Eighth Assembly.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, made this known during an exclusive interview with The DEFENDER at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Mr. Adesina was responding to a question bothering on whether the President would again stand aloof by his usual “I can work with anybody” style, while the political class again take up struggle which makes the incoming Ninth Assembly repeat the same mistakes of the Eighth Assembly.

The Presidential Adviser said: “There are always lessons to learn.  What happened in this outgoing dispensation vis-à-vis the leadership of the National Assembly has opened everybody’s eyes and we have seen the need to have in place people, who are responsible, people who are faithful and loyal to the party as leadership of National Assembly.

“There is no point the government going in one direction and the National Assembly going in another direction, particularly where the party has the majority.

“So, I’m sure lessons have been learned from the outgoing dispensation and the next leadership of the legislature will be of a different hue with different varieties.”

Asked if President Muhammadu Buhari was not in dilemma as some power players within the ruling party struggle for the control of National Assembly, which was insinuated to be responsible for why some loyalists of the President including Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun were having problems with the party leadership, Adesina said he saw no such scenario being painted.

“I have not seen the scenario you are trying to paint and I don’t think that scenario exists.”

He continued: “What I will tell you is that the leadership that will emerge for the National Assembly will be a  responsible leadership.  It will be one that will work harmoniously with the executive, while not being in bed with the executive and being a rubber stamp.  But they will work harmoniously.

“We have all learned from what happened in the outgoing dispensation”,” he maintained.

Details of interview to be published soon…