Buhari scores Saraki, Dogara low on patriotism

President Muhammadu Buhari has criticised the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, for undermining his administration.

While speaking during a special interview on NTA on Monday, May 27, 2019, the president said the leaders of the National Assembly's power tussle with the executive frustrated the country's development.

The president pointed to the delay in passing the budget as proof of the low patriotism of the National Assembly leaders.

The president said, "I think a culture was developed in the National Assembly that they should dictate the terms, which was wrong.

"It is the executive that dictates the terms and takes it before the legislature. It (the legislature) will examine it and agree or disagree with it.

"But when they go around posing that they are the government and not the executive, then that’s the problem.

"I felt and I spoke personally to the Senate President, Saraki, and the leader of the House, Dogara. They could not deny it.

"I told them how do they feel to hold the country to ransom for seven months without passing a budget.

"Unfortunately, they were not hurting me; they were hurting the country. So, really, in terms of patriotism, I think I rated them very, very low indeed."

The relationship between Buhari and Saraki, most especially, has been fractured since he emerged Senate President against the wishes of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Saraki has since left the ruling party for a return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but will not return to the Senate after he lost his re-election bid in February.

During Monday's interview, Buhari promised Nigerians that he'll continue to do his best as he prepares to be sworn in for a second term on May 29.