On Whose Side Is The National Assembly?

This question reflects a critical opinion held by a majority of Nigerians, especially the electorate who have given out their political will by voting. Of course, 2019 election is around the corner. It is a question from the collective opinion of the average Nigerian whose main interest is to have a proficient government, a country safe and secured, and the National Assembly is very crucial if these goals would ever be achieved.

Lawmakers, the world over are quite instrumental to achieving a sane country with robust developmental strides, they are those formulating ideas into policies, check and balance the executive arm; at higher level of authority some would turn ideas into statutory corporations, authorities, agencies, others into acts and laws so long they are in line with executive arm. Nigeria's National Assembly is not an exception with a constitutional backing in Section 47 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. There is no doubt about the capacity of the National Assembly but there is a huge doubt on whose side the Eighth National Assembly is.

A senator represents the total number of persons in his senatorial district, same goes with the House of Representatives member projecting the interest of all the people from his constituency. But in many cases the word "suppose" will be added to the statement above. Beyond this, the National Assembly members are also to check the executive, to ensure the human, natural and economic resources of Nigeria are well utilized regardless of political loyalty and aspirations. These are becoming mere paper tigers like other things clogging the wheel of Nigeria’s democracy.

This question was never a construction of political pressure, both the ruling party- APC and the opposition party- PDP play active roles in the ongoing distrust of what the National Assembly stands for. It is a question birthed from continuous sloppy deviation of the eighth National Assembly, with its medicine after death approaches, most of the deliberations end up majoring in minor and minoring in the major.

Anyone who comes into equity must come with clean hands. The National Assembly with so many loads of controversies, scandals, ideologies they surmounted, challenged and some they rolled under the carpet, have not come this far untainted. Claiming neutrality with these accumulated issues would account for swimming in a pool without getting wet.

The debate on immunity for National Assembly members starting from the principal officers dominated public space at a time; then the controversial request that Nigeria Customs Service’s boss, Col. Hameed Ali must appear before the house in his official uniform; the summon of the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris over the killings in Benue and others, the constant rejection of acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu and which has made him one of the longest serving acting chairmen in recent times, the symbol of authority, the Mace was taken and dropped at the city gate in Abuja, the Offa Robbery, the motion for the impeachment of Mr. President if security is not enhanced, the spontaneous red-carpeting and divided party loyalty among many others have in one or the other stained the “objective” garment of the National Assembly.

The passage of the 2018 budget which President Buhari claimed he was compelled to sign, also raised many eyebrows to the stand of the National Assembly in the pursuit of a better Nigeria. Allocations for constituencies and senatorial districts were increased to N578 billion, with additional 6,403 projects without due consultation with the executives, while 4,700 projects of the executive were reduced to N347 billion; the absence of both the Senate President and the Speaker, House of Representatives, although they sent representatives, during the budget signing was also significant and has sent home messages unintended. The National Assembly certainly has reasons for these changes, they want more and better grassroots projects for Nigerians. President Buhari has also promised to present what will be the earliest supplementary budget which is backed by Section 84, subsection 4 of the constitution, to complement these changes.

Despite all these challenges, the eighth National Assembly has achieved some successes: its active role in combating illegal migration in Nigeria, with several public hearing in affected areas, ongoing support of the anti-grazing law in affected areas, its role in the actualization of the nottoo- young- to- run bill.

But on whose side is the National Assembly standing? Is it standing on the side of the electorate that exchanged their rights by voting, or the executive working assiduously to make things work? Or are members of the assembly on their own side for their pockets, party and family?

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