Former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki has expressed concern that the 10th National Assembly under Senator Godswill Akpabio had become a shadow of its former self due to weak leadership and outside influence.
Saraki pointedly said that the institution no longer represents the strong and active parliament it should be, and warned that if the parliament becomes too weak, the people may lose hope in it completely.
Saraki, who was the President of the 8th Senate, stated these in a statement he prepared for the commemoration of the 26 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country, blamed weak leadership and interference from other branches of government for the Assembly’s decline.
In his words; “Let me now say that except we are here to lie to ourselves, we must acknowledge the fact that the National Assembly is gradually becoming a shadow of what a virile and effective parliament should be.
“Today, we seem to be drifting backwards. And we don’t have to go far to find the reason for this sad development. Things are not moving forward as they should”.
Saraki stressed that the legislature is not the only one at fault, adding that all three arms of government share responsibility for the problem.
According to him; “I am convinced that this is not only the fault of the legislature and its leadership. The executive and judiciary have consistently played key roles in undermining and weakening the National Assembly”.
He therefore challenged current lawmakers to rethink their duties and work to strengthen the National Assembly, stressing that if the National Assembly is made helpless and hopeless to the extent that the people cannot find succour there, then they will be left with no option but to run to the streets.
Saraki said; “And this is dangerous for our democracy. The main job of the legislature is to provide checks and balances—not to blindly support the executive.
The former Senate President’s remarks come amid growing complaints that the 10th Assembly has become too close to the presidency and no longer acts independently just as it reflected the growing concerns among Nigerians that the balance of power is shifting too far toward the executive, thereby raising questions about whether the legislature is still doing its job as a watchdog in a democracy.
