23 years of Democracy : Of what Importance is the Ninth Senate?

 

 

By Adekunle Adesuji

 

 

Without mincing words, Parliament is the bastion of democracy , it is a central institution of the democratic state under the rule of law.

 

Therefore, the ninth Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria which for close to three years have been in charge of making of laws that will bring expected development to the country have pivotal role to play in bring dividends of democracy to Nation.

 

After  the ninth National Assembly was inaugurated, President of the Senate, Ahmad  Lawan and the entire leadership of the nation’s Parliament embarked on constructive engagements after it’s Inauguration with the executive arm of government , particularly, the presidency.

 

The Senate then designed the required approach for results – oriented relationship .

 

 

In moving the Senate and by extension, the 9th National Assembly forward , Lawan in his inaugural speech  emphasised the need for paradigm shift on working relationship between the legislature and the executive arm of government.

 

Lawan in the speech titled:  “A  Senate that works for Nigerians”, said:  “We are going to work collaboratively with the executive arm of government to strengthen our planning and budget linkage that ensures effective service delivery and fulfilment of essential government obligations to the citizens, while taking care of the perennial delays in our annual appropriation bill passage and implementation.

 

“Within us as a Senate, our leadership will commit to partnership rather than partisanship and between us and the executive arm of government, we will choose unity of purpose over conflict and discord while also working towards further strengthening and guaranteeing our independence and that of the judiciary…”.

 

Little wonder that close to three years , based on results – driven cum good governance oriented approach, the National Assembly under the leadership of Lawan and that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt.Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, had in collaboration with the executive arm of government, reverted the yearly budget cycle to January – December as against June – May yearly cycle it was, in the past.

 

Also within this period, the  Senate under the Presidency of Lawan and in collaboration with the House of Representatives ,  successfully amended and passed the Deep Off-Shore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act Cap D3LFN 2004 (Amendment Bill 2009); which was specifically geared towards increasing  collectable revenues from proceeds of crude sales.

 

This is aside numerous other development focused legislations  targeted at boosting the national economy like the Public Procurement 2007 (amendment) bill 2019 , Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap C20 LFN 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill 2019 ,  Petroleum Industrial Bill 2021, Climate Change Bill 2021,  AMCON Bill 2021, Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill, 2022. Electoral Act 2022, (Amendment) and etc

 

 

The Senate and National Assembly by extension has also concluded Constitution Amendment process and have been forwarded to State House of Assemblies for further legislations.

 

 

Realistically, the Senate under Lawan’s leadership within this period  has projected the legislative arm of government in Nigeria as the stabilising factor required in governance at the centre and has being the face of a working democracy as against the  rancorous and  antagonistic one  which characterised our polity in the  recent past.

 

But, the public perception of National Assembly for this same period  is that the nation’s parliament is the rubber stamp of President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

This is as result of series of Foreign loans approved by the National Assembly and confirmation of virtually all nominees of President Buhari despite the petition against the nominees.

 

 

Lawan at the different public fora always says the National Assembly is on same page with President Buhari, a statement that some Nigerians are comfortable with.

 

It could be recalled that  during the one –  day group focused discussions on citizens’ expectations from the 9th National Assembly held at the temporary site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies ( NILDS), Abuja.

 

Specifically the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Abuja Chapter, Dr Kasim Umar at the forum, cautioned  the leadership of the 9th National Assembly on ‘the same page relationship’  it is running with the executive arm of government  since the three arms of government in a presidential democracy , are meant to serve as check on one another.

 

“Harmonious working relationship among the three arms of government and in particular, between the Legislature and the Executive in a presidential democracy like Nigeria is a welcome development but taking it to the realm of subservience by being on the same  page with the executive on all issues, is dangerous for good governance .

 

“In the light of this, Nigerians will want the 9th National Assembly to be more assertive, thorough and resolute in exercising its constitutional duties as regards approval of proposals from the executive arm of government so as not to be seen as rubber stamp  and invariably creating perception problem for itself.

 

“Effective oversight functions on the two other arms of government by the National Assembly is highly expected from them by Nigerians which will go a long way , in taking off whatever toga of rubber stamp many critics have put on them ” , he said .

 

 

 

The representative of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA),  Mallam Akande Abubakar said once the federal lawmakers allow the fear of God  to prevail in all their  legislative activities, Nigeria and Nigerians will be better off and the problem  of negative public perception on them will no longer be an issue  .

 

 

However despite negative pubic perception , the 9th National Assembly under the leadership of Lawan and Gbajabiamila of the view that harmonious working relationship with the executive and  the  attendant ‘rubber stamp’ appellation, is far better than frictional ones  of the past which yielded Nigerians and Nigeria,  nothing, in terms of good governance through dividends of democracy for  Nigerians.

 

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan at the public fora  declared that the path chosen by the 9th National Assembly to work in harmony with the Executive arm of government has benefitted Nigeria and Nigerians in so many ways through series of bills passed and assented to by the President and very important ones being worked upon with the hope and assurances of being assented to by the President,  when transmitted to him for that purpose.

 

“Such bills include the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Electoral Act (Amendment) 2021, 1999 Constitution (Amendment) 2021 etc.”, he said.

 

 

Based on the number of bills signed by the President Muhammadu Buhari which has enhanced good governance in the country , although there are still some areas that need urgent legislative intervention, it is wrong to say Nigerians have benefited from the Ninth Senate.