By a spcial correspondent
28 August 2000
Abuja — U.S. President Clinton has told Nigerian leaders they should resist the temptation to leave the Union. Nigeria, he told them, should draw its strength from its ethnic, cultural and religious diversities.
Since Nigeria's return to civil rule, the country's unitary identity has been under pressure, as various ethnic groups have demanded autonomy and self-determination
There has also been a running battle between the Executive and Legislative arms of government. They have been embroiled in a struggle for supremacy since the country's return to democracy 15 months ago. Each has accused the other of intruding into the areas reserved for the other by the constitution.
The face-off has had several casualties. This year's national budget could not be released until May, due to disagreements between the National Assembly and the Executive over budgetary allocations.
The battle re-echoed Saturday during President Clinton's address to the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. His speech was marked by applause each time Clinton seemed to speak in support of the Assembly.
When he told the lawmakers that the process to build democracy also depended on them, who are to act both as a as a "check on and a balance to Executive Authority..." response from the members drowned Clinton's voice.
Clinton replied to the applauding legislators. "If I said that to my Congress they would still be clapping." After the applause that followed this explanation, Clinton went on to add that while the Legislature acts as a check on the Executive, "it must also be a source of creative, responsible leadership, for in the end, work must be done and progress must be made."
It's clear that Nigerians may not have seen the end to the constant sniping between the these two arms of the government. When it came to his turn to give a vote of thanks to Clinton, Ghali Na'aaba, Speaker of the House of Representatives, seemed to contrast Clinton's example with that of his Nigerian counterpart.
Despite his high office, said Na'aaba, Clinton still obeyed the United States' Constitution, an example he said Nigerian leaders should emulate. The message was clear, as the Legislators rose once again in thunderous applause.
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