The Federal House of Representatives.
Thank God, the crisis that initially crippled the take-off of the National Assembly is somewhat over and the federal lawmakers can now begin their job of making laws for the good governance of the country in earnest. The hoopla that attended the election of the principal officers of both houses of the legislature has, more or less, been laid to rest as it is doubtful if the pushers of the campaign against Senator Bukola Saraki’s election as Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President, and the two leading officers of the House of Representatives, are still keen on seeing it through.
In view of the overwhelming support that Senator Saraki enjoys in the Senate, and the recent vote of confidence he got from about 81 out of the nation’s 105 senators, it is apparent that he is the popular choice of an overwhelming majority of the Senators. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which clearly had another candidate in mind for the office may, therefore, be flogging a dead horse pushing the matter any further. That issue appears best rested, especially as the judiciary appears uninterested in touching the matter of the alleged forgery of Senate Rules which produced Saraki and Ekweremadu with the longest of poles. The judiciary, as has been seen, appears to be sitting firmly on the plank of the principles of separation of powers and non-interference in the affairs of other arms of government, to maintain a “siddon look” posture on this controversy.
Under this situation, the case of the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Orders would appear to have run into a brick wall, since the election it was used to conduct has become a fait accompli that has been embraced by the majority of the senators.
Certainly, Nigeria will be better served by the acceptance of the present peace in the Senate and House of Representatives so that our new leaders can get on with the effort to effect the promised change in the country.
Since the restoration of normalcy in the National Assembly, the federal legislators are now in a pole position to work out new legislations that can help to move the country forward. The Senate President has taken off on a good note, leading some members of the Upper Legislative House to the centre of the war against insurgency in Borno State. At the camp of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, he assured the people of the North-East that Nigerians are solidly behind them in their time of trial, and promised that the Senate would ensure that life returns to the state and the zone.
This is a good demonstration of the importance of the need to restore peace in the North-east geopolitical zone of the country. Beyond this, the federal legislature should join efforts with the executive arm of government in finding a solution to the insurgency. This task is not a responsibility of the executive arm of government alone. It, indeed, requires the support and cooperation of all Nigerians.
This visit is a paradigm shift in the attitude of the National Assembly to the insurgency. For one, the Senate was not drawing attention for the wrong reasons, but for a cause that is close to the hearts of all well meaning Nigerians. This same concern that influenced the Senators’ visit to Maiduguri should be applied to the many other problems plaguing the nation, especially youth unemployment, epileptic power supply and dilapidated infrastructure, especially roads. Education, health and agriculture also deserve policies that can move them forward to bring about the desired changes in the country. The economy of the North-East, in particular, requires urgent attention, so that the displaced persons can begin to live their lives again, instead of the present dependence on the government. It is only when peace is restored and the people are back in their homesteads and able to get on with their lives that we can say that the government has succeeded in restoring normalcy to that part of the country.
Beyond these, the National Assembly is expected to play a critical role in the ongoing effort to check the problem of oil theft and get looted oil funds back into the country. There are so many of our laws that are outdated, especially with regard to the sanctions prescribed for stealing, that it is easy to comprehend why the law, generally is described as an ass. For instance, the prescription of ridiculous fines for theft of billions of naira as we have seen it many instances indicates that our laws in this regard are due for an overhaul, to bring them in tune with the reality of the times.
Another major assignment before the legislature is the screening of ministerial nominees whenever the president goes ahead to name them. Screening of ministerial nominees should no longer be business as usual. We should not have the usual “take a bow” approach. Instead, the appointees should be gruelled to ensure that they fit into the specific offices for which they have been nominated.
The task of moving Nigeria forward can only begin when appropriate persons are fitted into offices in which they can make the greatest impact. While the executive has the power to nominate ministers, the power to screen and ensure that they are suited to hold such positions rests with the Senate. This is a power that must be exercised with all sense of responsibility to ensure that Nigeria has a chance to experience the promised change that can only come when capable persons are appointed into the cabinet.
The new government can only be as effective as its cabinet. Let the National Assembly do all it can to help the executive in placing a good team in place in the best interest of the country.
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