IN A democratic system of government, the legislative arm plays a vital role in representing the people, making laws, and holding the executive branch accountable. The legislature is the cornerstone of democracy, providing a framework for governance, promoting transparency, and protecting the rights of citizens.
We have a National Assembly whose members seem blind, deaf and dumb about the existential challenges in Nigeria today. This National Assembly is the most unpatriotic since 1999. They are not representing anyone, but themselves.
The legislative arm may not have to be the enemy of the executive, but they’ve to assert their independence to enable that arm function properly. Unfortunately, this has become a difficult task to achieve in Nigeria.
Currently, the National Assembly, especially the Senate, is populated with former governors, ministers, and former top party big wigs with baggage of corruption allegations hanging on their necks. A president who knows his onions can effectively put them under check by using the anti-graft agency to shush them up anytime they want to squeal.
Secondly, we know that officers in this 10th Senate were selected by the Presidency, and so we are not surprised by Akpabio’s sycophantic antics. Since coming into office, he has demonstrated everything but experience and patriotic sincerity.
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His speech at the last 2025 budget presentation by the president was simply a presidential campaign speech, trying to justify the reforms that has brought nothing but hardship. That speech was sycophancy taken to Olympian heights. Even the Director General of APC 2027 presidential campaign, cannot do better than that. His speech was richer in content than that of the president.
When are we going to get serious in this country? Akpabio should be reminded that legislators are responsible for approving the national budget, which gives them significant influence over the allocation of resources. They must balance competing demands, prioritise spending, and ensure that the budget reflects the nation’s values and priorities.
Nigerians know that what this government is doing has not translated into tangible deliverables. Things are still very difficult, people can hardly feed, families go to bed hungry, businesses are closing shops, insecurity is still high, parents are finding it difficult to keep children in school, inflation and unemployment still have their strong leash on our jugular. The exchange rate is still very high and even showing prospects of climbing higher; people are paying for high electricity tariff for non-existent light. Therefore, the statistics Akpabio reeled out do not exist in real terms. The truth is that we are fast moving downhill.
If the National Assembly wants to go ahead and approve the budget without the expected debate and scrutiny, they can go on. Before now, Senator Onawo had accused Akpabio of always passing bills with the speed of light. 2025 budget proposal is one that carries lots of doubts and fictitious claims that need critical scrutiny and empirical examination before approval.
We witnessed the speed that Akpabio’s National Assembly deployed in amending the Nigeria Police Act to pave the way for IGP Kayode Egbetokun to enjoy extended tenure at the behest of the president. That amendment went through first, second and third reading in one day. In the face of so many contending issues, the National Assembly quickly passed a bill to change the National Anthem just to make the president happy. It is a disservice to Nigerians that the National Assembly has become the lapdog of the executive arm.
It is clear that Akpabio-led 10th National Assembly is a rubber stamp legislature. Despite all the hue and cry in 2024, they bought their jeeps and collected all allowances and they are already warming up for the 2025 largess.
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We have a National Assembly whose members seem blind, deaf and dumb about the existential challenges in Nigeria today. This National Assembly is the most unpatriotic since 1999. They are not representing anyone, but themselves.
Good governance and self-sacrifice especially on the part of the leadership are inseparable in a neat way. The focus is on the common good or societal growth and development. Good governance is not about nauseating rhetoric, like Akpabio wants us to believe. We are not morons. Good governance is about moral integrity and profound commitment to high ideals.
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When an institution, like the National Assembly that is saddled with the primary responsibility of serving as a check on the excesses of the executive begins to genuflect before the whims and caprices of the executive arm, then democracy experiences stunted growth. The needs and aspirations of the people they are supposed to serve are lost.
It was the uncommon Akpabio who gleefully told us to scavenge for food anywhere we can find a free meal. Unfortunately, 70 Nigerians have just lost their lives in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija in the past one week while trying to snatch what is available in an economy that Akpabio could not stop praising.
We witnessed the speed that Akpabio’s National Assembly deployed in amending the Nigeria Police Act to pave the way for IGP Kayode Egbetokun to enjoy extended tenure at the behest of the president. That amendment went through first, second and third reading in one day. In the face of so many contending issues, the National Assembly quickly passed a bill to change the National Anthem just to make the president happy. It is a disservice to Nigerians that the National Assembly has become the lapdog of the executive arm.
We have already realised that there are persons in the ruling class who take pleasure in taunting us. They just want to provoke a reaction from us so that they and their cronies can have a good laugh at our expense.
Some months back Akpabio told his fellow party members to allow people who want to protest to go ahead, while they will be chopping. Indeed, the protest went as planned and government didn’t give a hoot on what happened and people picked up at the venues were charged for treason. Akpabio and his colleagues in government were eating while the protest was ongoing. Even though the legislative arm has a critical role in protecting the rights and interests of citizens, Akpabio could not leverage on his powers to allow the people to breathe. It took the strident voice of nearly crushed civil society to get international attention to the plight of the people.
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It was the uncommon Akpabio who gleefully told us to scavenge for food anywhere we can find a free meal. Unfortunately, 70 Nigerians have just lost their lives in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija in the past one week while trying to snatch what is available in an economy that Akpabio could not stop praising.
Things are difficult, and whether government accepts it or not, it is the harsh economic situation that is responsible for the stampede. If this National Assembly was what we had when former President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted a third term, he would have succeeded. The bill would have been passed in one day without hassles.
Akpabio should know that history keeps people live long after they are dead. His actions and unguarded utterances make us doubt if he is actually God’s will for Nigeria.
