The National Assembly is among the 3 arms that makes up a democratic government, that is Executive , Judiciary and Legislature. Nigeria has a democratic constitution with a federal system modelled after the United States of America’s. The executive is headed by the president, the legislature (bicameral) is formed by the National Assembly of Senate and House of Representatives, and the Judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court.
Therefore, The National Assembly is constitutionally vested with several functions. Prominent among them are lawmaking, representation, oversight function and a host of others. Going further, the Legislative Assembly performs three important roles in its job of overseeing government: legislative role, financial role and inquiry role. Meanwhile, the passage of laws is the function most commonly attributed to the Legislative Assembly .
However and regrettably, in Nigeria, the legislature seems to have gone to bed with their function of overseeing government activities, financial and inquiry roles. The Assembly is yet to come to any solid term with rescuing the masses from perennial and incessant increase in the prices of major consumers’ goods since 2023. The government began with an unfashionable executive order with the sobriquet “subsidy is ‘gun’ (gone)”, since then, peace and prosperity of the common man has gone, just because of that statement.
The negative implications are that fuel subsidy removal has decreased economic growth , increased inflation, increased poverty, increased fuel smuggling, increased crime, increased the prices of petroleum products and loss of jobs in the informal sector.
The aftermath of that was the spike in prices of all household goods and services to the citizens – also, USSD, Automated Teller Machine (ATM), POS, now their costs of transactions have gone up astronomically. Similarly, tarrifs on telecommunications services imposed on subscribers now are in line for increase. Nigeria Customs Services just backed down on her planned increase in duties. Electricity tariff is so high and there’s no solution to all these. UCH completed 102 days of darkness in Ibadan. The government in a statement while defending the increase in telecommunications tariff said it is necessary, so as to cushion operational costs .
With the increase in petrol prices its overall effects on all goods and services are non-negotiable and the masses are further impoverished and the economic strengths of the country is consequently compromised .
The crux of the matter is what are our representatives doing in challenging and whipping into line our executive arm which is hellbent on making money from where there’s none through various government agencies and platforms? The legislature has been reduced to a proverbial ‘aja inu iwe’ meaning statued or drawn image of a dog in a literature which can neither bark nor bite . The situation is worrisome for these crop of representatives. They have forgotten each person with a vote each from the electorates, same as the president gathered votes. The most unfortunate scene about these legislators is that whenever they need to dance to the macabre rhythm of the executive they make their laws in favour of the strong and hurriedly make uncharitable passage of bills that ordinarily require meticulous consideration. They have never for once rebuffed the executive on any matter. The legislative arm has reduced the governance to the Fela Anikulapo’s padi padi government. Let every assemblyman considers his or her role in the development and strengthening of democracy with serious engagement with executive and all regulatory agencies.
The National Assembly seems to be nosediving in the quality of representatives we now have. Such men to represent the interest of the people should be frank and realistic in their voices and actions, men that should be assured of deathless fame for standing good in the interest of the masses, men with new ideas, forceful and direct without frills or fears or theaterical turgidity . One whose every word and action is treasured as a pearl of wisdom and truth . The one not easily swayed with ‘ghana must go’ or juicy contracts that may never be executed.
Anyway, he that comes to equity must come with clean hands. With this , the executive may not be wholly culpable in the toothlessness and voiceslessness of the legislature or may no longer have audacity cum effrontery again considering many cases in the past such as the recent Ali Ndume that was suspended for mustering courage to speak against the perceived anomaly in the running of his party’s controlled central government .
It is instructive to say that democratic government is hinged on the principle of checks and balances and without checks and balances, democracy becomes autocracy. An oppressive government is fiercer and more feared than a tiger . Even in the face of autocracy some leaders carve niches for themselves by standing against tyranny be it legislative or exectuive tyranny .
The National Assembly should rise beyond this petty legislation and cavorting stance in defense of their people and democracy, the executive cannot stand the firmness of completely honest men speaking for their people.
‘Kunle Oyeleye can be reached via +2348034916917
