Former senator and activist, Shehu Sani, has charged members of the National Assembly to be selfless and live up to their responsibilities in the interest of Nigeria.
He stated this while speaking during the opening of the National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF) week in Abuja, warning that the nation’s apex parliament should guard against its influence being diminished by its own acts.
In a keynote address themed: “Sustainable Democracy and Nation Building,” Sani said the current National Assembly appeared to have drifted far from the stance of the 8th assembly led by Senator Bukola Saraki, which he said stood firm against attempts to be controlled by executive arm of the federal government.
“In our time, it was unthinkable for heads of MDAs to ignore our summons. They understood the gravity of our oversight functions,” Sani said, adding that the current assembly risks becoming a “rubber stamp” for the executive in sacrifice of its guaranteed independence.
“This institution needs respect. If you turn yourselves into stooges or compliant representatives, you will lose that respect. Our era defended legislative independence, but it came at a cost – frosty relationships with the executive and delays in passing bills. However, excessive cooperation is equally dangerous, as it emboldens tyranny,” he said.
While stressing the need to avoid the consequences of subservience, Sani said there are noted instances in recent times where heads of MDAs openly challenge lawmakers during oversight functions.
“The Senate President must ensure that nominees for appointments and executive proposals undergo serious scrutiny. This is not a place for automatic approval,” he said.
