Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari on Monday night scored the country’s Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara low on patriotism to the country.

Speaking during an interview with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Buhari accused the two principal officers of the National Assembly of  delaying the 2019 budget for seven months.

The President also said that he will expect the Police and the judiciary to be expedient and harder in carrying out their roles during his second tenure which begins on Wednesday.

“My frustration is that we cannot move faster in prosecution. We have made some progress. We have recovered a number of fixed assets and money in banks including those in Europe and America but under this system you can’t do so much in a hurry.

“Even if you use whistle blowers, you have to report to the Police and Police will rigmarole, this is my biggest frustration really. The frustration is taking too long by my own hope.

“I always know that the so called Nigerian elite want to impress on the population. They dictate the terms to government at all levels, centre, state and local government.

“Don’t forget I contested three times before I won the fourth time and in each case– 2003, 2007 and 2011–I ended up in the Supreme Court. I don’t so much bother about what they feel and what they threaten they could do.

“I hope they appreciate the sacrifice Nigerians have been making to continue enjoying the position they have achieved either materially or politically.

“I think a culture was developed in the National Assembly that they should dictate the terms. I think it was wrong. I think it is the Executive that dictates the terms and take it to the legislature that will examine it and agree or disagree with it.

“But when they go around to impose it on the Executive, I think there is a problem. I spoke personally to the Senate President, Saraki and the leader of the House, Dogara. They could not deny it.

“I told them how do they feel to hold the country to ransom for seven months without passing the budget. I told them they are not hurting me, they are hurting the country. So, really, in terms of patriotism, I rate them very low. Holding a budget for seven months cannot be justified,” Buhari said.