The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday said Nigeria has millions of extremely poor people. He stated that it would be callous and irresponsible if those elected into office do not come together to sort out the grave life-threatening problems confronting Nigerians on daily basis.
Osinbajo said these at the closing of the two-day executive-legislative leadership retreat held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the Vice President, “every generation of leadership must understand the context. Law itself must be interpreted and implemented in context.
“What is the reality of the context that we operate in today? We all know, our nation has millions of extremely poor people, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened unemployment and poverty.
“We have huge deficits in infrastructure; many children are out of school. If that is our context, we will be callous and irresponsible if we don’t come together, work together to sort out these grave problems that threaten our people every day,” he said.
The vice president stated further that,” It is time to focus on what we have been elected or appointed to do. This is about the welfare of our people.
“The law and practice as between parliament and executive is a means to an end not an end to itself. The means must not be allowed to jeopardize the end.
“Our people just want food on their table, shelter over their heads, clothing on their bodies, healthcare, education for their children and themselves.
“The good legislator or good minister is not the one who is waving the law, and procedure, and doctrines, it is the one who says the spirit of our Constitution is that we secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.
“We mustn’t waste too much time on processes and procedures, we must do all that is in our power to serve the needs of our people, even if it means walking the fine lines between the law and reality,” he added.
The Vice president also said members of the executive and legislative arms of governments do not have a choice than to collaborate if they are not to fail Nigerians who have given them the opportunity to serve at the high leadership levels they currently occupy.
