President Muhammadu Buhari has raised a committee to resolve the perennial rift between the executive and the legislature.

The committee was set up on Wednesday during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by the president.

The committee, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has as members, all ministers who were at one time federal legislators as well as the Senior Special Assistants to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang (Senate) and Samaila Kawu (House of Representatives).

Members of the committee later held a closed-door meeting at the vice president's office after the council meeting.

Briefing State House correspondents shortly after the FEC meeting, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the cabinet expressed concern over the strained relationship between the executive and the Senate in particular.

The minister said: “The executive is also concerned that the relationship between the two arms of government is not as smooth as it is supposed to be.”

The Senate had Tuesday put off the confirmation of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission based on the refusal by the executive to remove the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, who had been rejected twice.

The upper chamber had also expressed displeasure at the refusal by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, to wear uniform.

The Senate had earlier this year called for the removal of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, following allegation of misappropriation of funds meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the northeast.

•Text courtesy of Daily Trust.

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