I try to obey the constitution, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says he tries as much as he can to obey the constitution of the country.

The president said this on Thursday when he received speakers of state assemblies at the presidential villa in Abuja.

In a statement issued by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, Buhari said the constitution must be adhered to, or altered to reflect dynamics and realities of the country.

He said the autonomy of state legislature has been constrained by the constitution.

The president asked the lawmakers to always put the interest of the people first in all deliberations and negotiations.

“I try as much as I can to always be loyal and obedient to the constitution so long as it is humanly possible,” Buhari said.

“The 8th National Assembly sometimes kept the budget for seven months. And I had to call the Senate President and the Speaker then. I told them by delaying passage of the budget you are not hurting Buhari, but the people.

“We have in the last four years dedicated significant resources to key social services sectors especially in health, education as well as our massive social investment programs. We have also started restoring our infrastructure to levels that this country expects.

“I also want to assure you that we remain committed to ensuring that equity and fairness prevail in governance. I will ensure that we consult your conference to further enhance the positive impact of our interventions across the country.”