The group described the conduct of some members of both Houses as despicable and unpatriotic.
The APW in a press statement signed by its National scribe Barr. Kingsley Okoro said it is disheartening that instead of serving the people some members of both Houses have chosen to serve their pockets.
The group called on anti corruption agencies to go after those that distorted the budget to their advantage stressing that if the anti corruption war will make meaningful impact then the corrupt tendencies of members fingered in the budget row must be check mated.
While criticising the formula currently being used in the distribution of special intervention funds and constituency projects by members of the National Assembly, the group called for a review of the distribution of the fund. "It is evident that there is palpable rancour among some members who have been shortchanged in the process of distribution of the funds". "To douse this tension, we are suggesting that it should be reviewed apart from been reviewed, it is important that the execution should be monitored. The fund is for constituency projects and not programmes so diverting the funds to programmes many of which are not sustainable is against the spirit of the whole idea of constituency projects. On our part, we will mobilise our members to monitor the execution of the projects nationwide" the statement read.
The group particularly accused the Chairmen of the appropriations Committee of both chambers Sen. Danjume Goje and Hon. Abdulmimunu Jibrin of corrupt practises. "the chairmen of both chambers of the National Assembly cannot in anyway extricate themselves from the embarrassment that greeted the budget. It is good that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a careful scrutiny of the budget otherwise some of these corrupt elements posing as representatives of the people would have sabotaged the anti corruption and developmental efforts of Mr. President"
The Association decried the continued rivalry between the executive and the legislature describing it as the greatest threat to the fulfilment of the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. " The President promised change and it is unfortunate that the positive change he promised Nigerians is been threatened by the unwarranted rivalry and intrigues between the executives and the legislature. The leaders of both chambers of the National Assembly who were formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and who rode into power as a result of the goodwill of Mr. President should realise that at the end of the four year tenure of the present administration it is the President who will be blamed if things go wrong. They should in the interest of Nigeria and the party which they profess to be members of, do things right.
On Senator Saraki, the APW said it is imperative that he resigns his position as Senate President. "We are not concerned about his being guilty or not what we are concerned with is the fact that his trial is having a negative impact on the smooth running of the Senate. Moreover, the continuous revelations of sleaze against the person of the Senate President is giving the country a bad image and this is clearly in contradiction with the efforts of Mr. President who has been going round the globe to repair the bad image of the country"
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