New SGF visits Saraki, seeks Senate’s support

The newly-appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and leadership of the National Assembly.

Mr. Mustapha said the visit was to solicit the support of the Senate in delivering the campaign promises of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“As SGF, my responsibility is to coordinate the implementation of government policies and to ensure that these policies are synergised in such a manner that we will be able to deliver to the good people of Nigeria the good things of life which they rightly deserve,” he said.

“I won’t be able to succeed in that task if I do not get the cooperation of the National Assembly. That is why I’m here today. To extend a hand of friendship. To extend the hand of soliciting (for) the cooperation of the National Assembly.”

He continued: “Whatever that has been lost in the past, we can quickly regain and recover and make progress so that by the time the four-year first mandate comes to an end, we can show on our profile.

“Mr. president is passionate about the three approaches he has promised. One, to fight for the security and defeat insurgency in every part of the country, two is to diversify the economy and thirdly to fight corruption. None of these three can be achieved if we do not get the support of the National Assembly, particularly now the Senate.”

Mr. Mustapha thanked the Senate President for his role in the 2015 presidential campaign and for personally attending his inauguration as SGF.

“We are here on a courtesy call to truly thank you personally for taking out time for attending my swearing-in ceremony as SGF and to also convey the gratitude of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, and the entire government on the leadership you have given the National Assembly as a whole.

“Let me put it on record that your leadership has helped tremendously in stabilising the polity and also given a purposeful direction that we require by the Presidency to ensure that we deliver on the promises that we made to Nigerians when we sought for their mandate in 2015.

“You ran for the Senate in your constituency in Kwara State and I remember vividly serving as the Director of Campaign you were all over the place campaigning to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari won the election and we did. Thank you so much for what you have done for APC victory.”

Responding, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, thanked Mr. Mustapha for lending out a hand of friendship while pledging the support of the Senate towards the delivery of President Buhari’s campaign promises.

“Let me assure you that being the first SGF that we have received here, definitely you’ll get our own cooperation and definitely there will be a new. Your visit is very symbolic. It’s bringing a new face of cooperation between the executive and the legislature, to our democracy and the government.”