“E be like say dey wan’ tell us wetin we never hear before.” These words from the iconic 2face song, “no be small thing” perfectly capture the potential disaster that Nigeria’s democracy could face if the All Progressives Congress leadership backed by President-elect, Bola Tinubu are allowed to handpick the leaders of the 10th National Assembly.
It would be a grave mistake, echoing the failures of the outgoing Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila Assembly, which has been branded a rubber stamp.
One of the fundamental pillars of a thriving democracy is the system of checks and balances. The National Assembly serves as a crucial check on the executive branch, ensuring accountability and preventing abuse of power. However, if the President-elect and influential politicians around him are given the authority to choose the National Assembly’s leaders, it would undermine the principle of separation of powers and jeopardize the integrity of the legislative branch.
The outgoing National Assembly’s failure to effectively check the executive has resulted in a lack of proper oversight as check to the Executive which has weakened public trust in it
To preserve what’s left of Nigeria’s fragile and controversial democracy, it is essential that the process of selecting the leaders of the National Assembly remains independent, transparent, and free from undue influence. This allows for the emergence of capable leaders who prioritize the nation’s interests over personal or party agendas.
While I do not rule out the decision of parties to zone the positions in view of Federal character and balance, naming specific candidates suggests there’s more than meets the eye with such decisions.
It is even more interesting that one of the Candidates backed by the APC is yet to fully clear himself of corruption charges by the Anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Nigeria deserves a National Assembly that represents the true will of the people, one that challenges the executive when necessary and upholds the principles of democracy. It is imperative that the leaders of the 10th National Assembly truly represent the electorate, reflect the diverse perspectives and interests of the Nigerian people and not play stooge to another President.
