By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Senate President Ahmad Lawan is not happy with the status of the legislature as the most misunderstood of the three arms of government, seeing it as fairing worse than the executive and the judiciary in public perception.
This, to him, poses a challenge which requires lawmakers to educate and enlighten citizens on the functions and roles of the legislature.
He bared his mind sequel to a motion on International Day of Parliamentarism (IDP) sponsored by Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP, Anambra South).
Lawan said the National Assembly (NASS) will continue to conduct oversight of the executive arm as well as provide legislations for good governance.
His words: “Here in Nigeria, like indeed anywhere else, democracy is largely defined by the presence of parliament, and parliamentarians are expected to undertake those three fundamental pillars of their mandate, that is representation, oversight and ensuring that we always legislate on good governance.
“It is important to mention and emphasise that this National Assembly will continue to undertake its oversight functions on the executive arm of government.
“Where we have issues, we should advise how those issues will be properly addressed because we want to see optimal performance in our government.
“Where we have to provide legislative interventions as quickly as possible, we should do so, because the purpose of any legislation is to improve on a situation.
“We should continue to do that, and in the process of oversight, we must be mindful of the fact that this one fundamental function of the legislature that we cannot afford to take very lightly.
“This is to ensure that if we approve any funds, especially the annual budget and indeed any supplementary budget, we must follow through.
“We must track how expenditures are made, and the efficiency and prudence with which the projects are achieved.
“We have a challenge, we need to continue to educate and enlighten our citizens to know exactly what our functions are. The legislature is, without any argument, the most misunderstood arm of government that people vote for.
“It is our responsibility as a parliament to continue to enlighten the people that we represent on what is expected of us.”
Ubah in his motion noted that the IDP was established on June 30, 1889 by the United Nations General Assembly to recognise the role of parliaments in national plans and strategies.
“Every country in the world has some form of representative government with 79 bicameral and 114 unicameral chambers of parliaments with over 46,000 members of parliament,” he said.
“Parliaments all over the world are needed more than ever to put in place legislations to respond to the health and economic crisis occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, protect vulnerable people and help scrutinise government’s actions and spending.”
The Senate in it resolution urged Nigeria’s federal and state lawmakers to reposition themselves as the pilots of democracy and nation building.
