President Goodluck Jonathan decided to lobby members of the National Assembly on controversial subsidy removal because he believes in consultation, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Joy Emordi has said.
She disclosed this when the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Giles Lever paid her a courtesy call at the weekend. Emordi said the president was not constitutionally bound to involve the lawmakers if he chooses to withdraw the subsidy.
"President Jonathan is a democrat. He knows very well that he could push the fuel subsidy issue without involving the National Assembly but instead of behaving like an autocrat he wanted to bring everybody along. He has the power to implement the withdrawal without the input of the National Assembly as the constitution allows him so to do," she said.
The Deputy British High Commissioner noted that Britain takes its relationship with Nigeria very seriously since the two countries share the same ideals and commended the Jonathan administration's giant strides so far especially in the area of strengthening democratic institutions, pledging his country's readiness to give a helping hand where necessary.
DailyTrust