Nigeria Content Online

Members of the
National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
yesterday met for several hours with the party caucus in the House of
Representatives.

This is coming just
after President Goodluck sought the approval of the National Assembly
for the extension of the implementation period of the 2010 Budget till
March 31, 2011.

Although the agenda
of the meeting between the lawmakers and the PDP leadership, led by its
national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo was not made known to reporters,
it was gathered that the controversial bill seeking to include the
lawmakers as members of their national executive committees of their
parties, was discussed.

It was further
learnt that the issue raised by the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor,
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi about the salaries and allowances of the
lawmakers, also came up.

Our correspondent
learnt that the leadership of the ruling PDP was desirous to be on the
same page with the parliamentarians on the issues, which it considered
could destroy the image of the party.

Before the meeting
went into closed-doors, Mr Nwodo commended the roles the PDP lawmakers
have played over the years on national issues, but observed that there
was an urgent need for them to close ranks in order with each other.

According to him,
with the impending general elections, it is imperative to keep all
party members, particularly the lawmakers informed of the challenges
facing the party.

Mr Nwodo noted that
such interactive sessions will allow members of the party to understand
the rules and guidelines which the party will adopt in the process of
conducting its primaries.

He praised the
lower legislative chamber for its intervention during the national
crisis arising from the absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua from the
country before he (Mr Yar’Adua) finally died.

According to the PDP boss, the intervention was historic because it sustained the unity of the country.

He also called for
the cooperation of the lawmakers on the issue of the national budget,
which has created rancour between the executive and the legislative
arms over the years, and urged the lawmakers to be ready to do their
best for the party and the country.

In a letter to the
National Assembly, Mr Jonathan said that the proposal to extend the
implementation of the budget was informed by the delays many of the
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have encountered in the
course of meeting the demands of the Bureau of Public Procurement
before projects are executed.

If the request is granted, the budget cycle will have been extended by an extra quarter for the second consecutive year.