The Senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has urged the Federal Government to ensure fairness, legality, and respect for human rights in the fight against corruption.
He said that the government should avoid selective prosecution, abuse of power, and political victimization of perceived opponents.
He also called on the National Assembly to devise preventive measures to tackle corrupt practices. He said, “The federal government needs to discourage selective treatment, executive lawlessness, high-handedness, and political persecution of perceived enemies in the fight against corruption”.
Bamidele made these remarks at a two-day retreat for all senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State on Friday. The retreat, organized by the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, focused on fiscal policy and tax reforms in Nigeria.
The Senate leader also suggested regular interactions between federal lawmakers and members of the Federal Executive Council to align the eight-point agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the programmes of the 10th National Assembly.
He expressed concern about the weakening of the naira and advocated appropriate legislative frameworks and oversight support for the implementation of responsive fiscal and monetary policy to rescue the economy from recession.
He said that both chambers of the National Assembly “are under obligations to stem the recurring decimal of naira devaluation and promote economic stability. This entails appropriate legislative framework and oversight support for the implementation of responsive fiscal and monetary policy measures.
“Henceforth, developing appropriate legislative frameworks is central to ensuring macroeconomic stability with a focus on managing inflation, addressing high-interest rates as well as foreign exchange deficit,” he said.
Bamidele also highlighted various solutions to socio-economic challenges facing the country, such as reviewing the Land Use Act, 1979 to give Nigerians more access to arable farmland, prioritizing the Small Towns and Village Recovery and Development Bill to promote rural development, and implementing effective poverty alleviation programmes.
He said that these measures would boost agricultural production, food security, peace, harmony, and sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
The retreat was attended by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr. Wale Edun and other members of the Federal Executive Council.
