Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki has accused all public office holders in Nigeria since 1999, for the current political and economic crisis in Nigeria saying that they were involved in one way or the other, in the mistakes of the past.
Saraki who made this known while responding to a question on secrecy of the National Assembly budget and corruption leveled against it by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a recent letter.
Saraki argued that it was wrong for anybody to hold an individual or group of people solely responsible for the mess of the past.
He said rather than trading blames on the woes afflicting the country now, what is needed from all stakeholders is collective participation for the good of all Nigerians.
Saraki also assured that details of the N115billion National Assembly budget on section-by-section basis would be transparently put into the public domain this year as against the practice of one item of the past.
Saraki said, “We’ve all been here since 1999 up to the recent past when things were not done right, we are all part of it. I was there, you were there, and every other political office holders in different capacities were there as well.
“My own view from the 8th National Assembly is that the time for collective participation for the good of all Nigerians is here with us in line with the change mantra of the present administration. We are all on the same page for things to be done differently.
“I think what we need now from all stakeholders, is more of cooperation, encouragement and participation as oppose to trying to hold one person responsible for the mistakes of the past that we are all part of .It is clearly not the right thing needed now.
“I Appeal to you, appeal to all Nigerians that we should work together just as I assure you all that we will do well here in NASS to practically complement the change agenda”.
He disclosed that the National Assembly would soon come up with an amendment bill on the procurement process towards ensuring strict and transparent implementation of the N6.08trillion 2016 budget.
According to him, the implementability of the 2016 budget proposal as presented by the executive, would be decided at the stage it is now in the National Assembly that is, stage of budget Defence by the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.