Bukola Saraki has begged the newly elected National Assembly lawmakers to do their jobs in a manner that will command respect from other arms of government.
He revealed this comment during an opening dinner for senators-elect and members-elect of the 9th assembly 2 days ago.
He noted that the legislature is the foundation of democracy and its total independence in a democratic government is a must.
His words, “In its constitutional role, the National Assembly carries out oversight, makes laws and ensures constituency representation. In carrying out constitutional functions, lawmakers must always recognise that the independence of the legislature is non-negotiable,”
”It (Senate) is an independent and co-equal arm of government. Therefore, it behoves members of the National Assembly to lead the way in asserting the principle of Separation of Powers, thus ensuring accountability in governance. To achieve that, it is expected that members will carry out their duties in a manner that commands that respect from other arms of government as well as the people you represent.”
He also begged the new lawmakers to strengthen the arm of government.
“That done, you will have a real chance as lawmakers to overcome any negative perception of the legislature in the public out there. The Nigerian National Assembly is far from unique when we talk about this problem of perception. All over the world, studies have shown that the legislature is often the most misunderstood arm of government.
“In Nigeria, the misapprehension as to the role of the legislature is compounded by its being the youngest arm of government in our developing democracy, in a country that is not long out of military rule. The legislature also often appears to be the weakest arm of government. It is , therefore,necessary to focus on strengthening this important institution. The legislative arm of government must be strong, because when the legislative arm is strong, democracy will be strong.”
The Senate president also said he was proud of the exploits of the 8th Senate.
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