As the 9th National Assembly clocks two years in session Friday this week, TAIYE ODEWALE examines its scorecards so far, particularly that of the Senate.
In writing the mid – term report of the 9th Senate and by extension that of the 9th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Ahmad Lawan as President of the Senate and Hon Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the House of Representatives, targets set and achievements made in that regard, will have to be analysed.
For records purpose, both chambers of the 9th National Assembly, were inaugurated separately on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, which by Friday this week, June 11, 2021, will be exactly two years.
Targets setting
Pointedly, for Lawan and the entire leadership of the Ninth National Assembly, constructive engagements with the executive arm of government , particularly, the presidency, is the required approach for results – oriented relationship as against antagonistic style adopted by previous assemblies in recent past mistaken for practice of the doctrine of separation of powers cum checks and balances.
In moving the Senate and by extension, the 9th National Assembly from rancourous relationship with the executive arm of government to collaborative one, Lawan in his inaugural speech two years ago emphasised the need for paradigm shift on working relationship between the legislature and the executive arm of government.
Declaratively , 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 two years down the line, 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 the last two years, 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 etc, which were passed and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Arguably, the Senate under Lawan’s leadership within the last two years and by extension, that of the National Assembly, 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 rancourous and antagonistic one which characterised our polity in the recent past.
Barometer of assessment of both chambers, indicates further that constructive engagements between the 9th National Assembly under Lawan’s leadership of the Senate and that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila), with the Executive arm of government, are about to bring into reality, the passage and expected Presidential Assent to the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) this year which had defied efforts in that direction for the past 14 years.
Public perception
But to some Nigerians, the actions of the 9th National Assembly within the last two years as regards express approval of executive requests, more or less, portray it as ‘rubber stamp’ to the executive arm of government.
Perception of such Nigerians in that respect, came to the fore few months back, 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 Kassim 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 .
In his own contribution, Barrister Daramola Bade who represented the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Abuja Chapter, said for the 9th National Assembly to be taken seriously by Nigerians, far reaching constitution amendments that will make Nigeria, a development – driven federation and not an over centralised one , should be carried out by it.
“Approving all proposals forwarded by the executive without coming up with robust legislation that will transform the country for good, will make it’s public perception to be more of a rubber-stamp than an autonomous arm of government “, 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 .
Rubber Stamping for Good Governance
However despite perception problem, the 9th National Assembly under the leadership of Lawan and Gbajabiamila strongly believes 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.
In a categorical remark to the rubber stamp cum on the same page perception, Gbajabiamila said: “People, critics and members of other parties have said the 9th Assembly is a rubber stamp of the executive. They may have told you that, too. You know what? It is better to be a rubber stamp and bring progress, than fight the executive without progress because when two elephants fight, the grass suffers.
“The fact is that the National Assembly is not a rubber stamp. This is a National Assembly that represents the interests of the people.The people of Surulere did not elect me to fight the executive, but to engage and collaborate with stakeholders to bring the dividends of democracy.
“This is a new dispensation. There will be checks and balances. There will be separation of powers. We will agree with the executive if we have to, and we will disagree if we have to. Our watchword is to protect the interests of the Nigerian people. That is the oath that my colleagues and I swore to.”
In the same vein, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan recently 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.
From whatever angle the 9th National Assembly is perceived within the last two years, realities on ground, clearly show that its collaboration with the executive arm of government, pays off in terms of presidential assents to bills passed and stability of the polity