Eighth National Assembly: Burden of finishing strong

By the time the National Assembly resumes on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, it would have commenced its home run; this being the last session of its statutory life.

Inaugurated in June 2015 for a constitutionally defined term of four years, 2019 is the terminal year, and as from May 29 when a new presidential term would resume, the incumbent would be expected to proclaim the commencement of the Ninth National Assembly. It is, therefore, not too early to commence on the Eighth National Assembly, a stock-taking exercise, with respect to what may not have been done, which if left undone, would translate into a damage, injury or unfinished business by it. Besides, the stock taking at this time is just timely as with the pendency of the forthcoming general polls (as from February 16), the Senators and Honourable Members are already locked in the processes of electioneering campaigns.

Such an exercise would even be most beneficial for the institution, as it would provide the prompting for the current Eighth National Assembly to address themselves to the task of finishing strong in a legislative dispensation that offered perhaps some unique challenges tailored by the trending socialpolitical challenges in the wider Nigerian society during the tenure. Such would also prove beneficial to the incoming Ninth National Assembly to avoid whatever pitfalls their predecessors faced.

As a statutory institution, any stock taking exercise with respect to the National Assembly can only enjoy merit if such draws its bearing from the provisions of the Constitution, which assigns responsibilities to statutory bodies, as well as the moral compass of the Nigerian society. And with respect to the National Assembly its functions which fall within the ambit of constituency representation, law making and oversight of government business, are clearly outlined in the Constitution and backed by a wide swathe of powers to facilitate its independence.

In a parallel context, the Constitution also confers similar endowments to the legislative institutions at the lower tiers of government, comprising state assemblies and local government legislative chambers, with the expectation that the National Assembly as the apex legislative institution would demonstrate leadership and guidance for the latter.

To accentuate more than the vicarious oversight responsibility of the National Assembly towards its lower tier legislative chambers, the Constitution even provides for, among other actions, a takeover of the functions of any state assembly that finds itself crippled by crisis. This vicarious oversight responsibility of the National Assembly for the lower ones is most acute.

Talking about the burden of finishing strong for the Eighth National Assembly would, therefore, entail addressing itself to the wider gamut of public expectations, which go beyond the confines of the institution’s immediate premises. It would entail the completion of whatever outstanding tasks it set for itself in its Legislative Agenda and during the run of its tenure on one hand and its efforts at growing and changing the fortunes for the better for the lower status chambers.

Considering that the lower chambers were denied independence and operated largely as mere rubber stamps of the various state governors, the imperative of their oversight by the National Assembly was defined.

The Eighth National Assembly cannot be said to have finished strong if at the end of its tenure it fails to conclude the passage of critical and outstanding bills like the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB). Failure to conclude the PIGB will return it for the attention of the incoming Ninth National Assembly, and at the expense of the country. The PIGB had spent over 12 years in the legislative mill to become a law; hence further delay in its passage will serve the country no good purpose.

Among the outstanding bills which non-passage by the Eighth National Assembly would be deleterious to the country is that of the Nigeria Police Reform Fund Bill. Given the strategic role the Police play as the anchor of the nation’s security architecture, the agency’s fortunes demand a front burner attention. In fact, many observers are wondering if there is no link between the several face- off between the National Assembly and the Police, which is traceable to the stalling of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund by the legislature. This contention enjoys currency if considered against the constitutional provision that the Nigeria Police shall be organised and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be made by the National Assembly.

Given the interplay of the contending circumstances associated with the last days of the Eighth National Assembly, the least that can be said of the burden of finishing strong is that it is huge. However, whether the National Assembly is disposed to resolving the challenges associated with the needful remains a matter of conjecture.

As a statutory institution, any stock taking exercise with respect to the National Assembly can only enjoy merit if such draws its bearing from the provisions of the Constitution, which assigns responsibilities to statutory bodies, as well as the moral compass of the Nigerian society.