Nigerian Senators urged to reclaim the Senate’s independence from the executives’ dominance
A member of the Nigerian Federalist Majority advocates, Olufemi Adegbulugbe, has called on experienced senators across political and ethnic divides to rise up and recover the Senate from becoming a “private enterprise” under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a press letter made available to 9News Nigeria, titled “The 10th National Assembly (NASS) under Senator Akpabio,” Adegbulugbe said Akpabio has abandoned his responsibilities as Senate President to uphold the role of checks and balances against the executive arm of government, and has instead pledged unconditional loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, thereby degrading the Senate to a “rubber stamp institution.”
Adegbulugbe said the “Godswill Akpabio role of political idol worshipper is most unfortunate and has grossly diminished the image of the esteemed and distinguished assembly.” He called on ranking senators to rise up and restore the dignity and integrity of the 10th Assembly.
“My call is directed at Senators Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe (Abia South), Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yau Alhaji (Zamfara North), Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North),
Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West), Mohammed Goje Danjuma (Gombe Central), Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), Abdul Ahmed Ninji (Bauchi Central), Barau Jibril (Kano North).”
The letter states that under Akpabio’s leadership, “Nigerians watch with disappointment as the Senate acts as an extension of the Presidency, with devastating consequences on the nation.” Adegbulugbe said the current Senate leadership has performed below expectations and attracted “ridicule and shame” to the 10th Senate.
He urged the ranking senators to follow the example of the late Senator John McCain of the United States by putting Nigeria first and acting in a bipartisan fashion to reclaim the Senate’s independence and fulfill its constitutional role of checks and balances.
Adegbulugbe also appealed to the National Assembly to help drive the reduction in the cost of governance, noting that Nigerians cannot afford to see the legislative arm fail in its duties. He stressed that the Senate does not exist to “dance to the music of the President” but to be accountable to the people of Nigeria.
The full letter reads:
The 10th National Assembly (NASS) under Senator Akpabio.
Olufemi Adegbulugbe
Member, Federalist Majority.
05 August 2024.
Subject: A clarion call to Ranking Senators of the 10th Assembly
Suffice to say Nigeria stands at the edge of a cliff as we are overloaded with a myriad of problems and challenges.
Our (Nigerians) focus and attention has been on the executive arms of Government.
It is my intention to draw attention to the Legislative arm of Government as an understated contributory factor to the menace confronting us today.
My objective is to call upon our ranking (experienced) senators, across political and ethnic divides to rise up in unison and recover a democratic institution (the Senate) from becoming a private enterprise.
My call is directed at Senators Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe (Abia South), Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Ogun West), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yau Alhaji (Zamfara North), Abdulfatai Buhari (Oyo North),
Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi (Imo East), Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Henry Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West), Mohammed Goje Danjuma (Gombe Central), Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South), Abdul Ahmed Ninji (Bauchi Central), Barau Jibril (Kano North).
The Upper legislative arm, with Senator Goodswill Akpabio as President has performed below expectations, and not a few Nigerians adjudge the current senate composition as the worst in the history of democracy in Nigeria.
Under Senator Akpabio, Nigerians watch with disappointment as the Senate acts as an extension of the Presidency, with devastating consequences on the nation.
Clearly, Senator Akpabio appears to have abandoned his responsibilities as Senate President, to uphold the role of checks and balances and has instead pledged unconditional loyalty to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, thereby degrading the Senate to a rubber stamp institution.
The Godswill Akpabio role of political idol worshipper is most unfortunate and has grossly diminished the image of the esteemed and distinguished assembly.
It is for the above reason that I call on ranking Senators of the 10th Assembly to walk in the footsteps of the Late Senator John McCain, (USA) by putting Nigeria first and acting in a bipartisan fashion to restore the dignity and integrity of the 10th Assembly.
While I note that 84 senators (77%) of the current senators are first-term senators, It is for this reason that ranking senators must act to guide the 10th Senate away from public mockery and ridicule and to restore the confidence and earn the trust of 220 million Nigerians.
It is the opinion of the majority of Nigerians of good conscience that the current leadership of the 10th Senate has performed below expectations and attracted ridicule and shame to the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The following comes to mind.
- Suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) for expressing his opinion on national issues, perceived to be contrary to the Akpabio agenda of political idol worshipping.
- Removal of Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) from the Senate leader position for alleged offenses, similar to Senator Ninji.
- Verbal assault on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) by Senator Akpabio.
- Intimidation and harassment of Senator Ireti Kingibe (FCT) by Senator Akpabio.
- The degrading and exclusion of ranking senators from offices on the 4th floor as a punitive measure.
- The assignment of ranking senators to obscure senate committees while first-term hallelujah senators are assigned to important committees that they are unqualified to manage.
The Senate is a very important institution and a strong component of our democracy.
It must function effectively as a legislative arm of Government, and act independently too.
Nigerians cannot afford to see the NASS fail in the execution of her constitutional role of checks and balances, in addition to making laws.
It is for this reason that I once again call on ranking senators of the 10th Assembly to save the National Assembly from being hijacked and grabbed by the executive arm of Government. We appeal to our ranking Senators to put Nigeria first and curb the excesses and the impunity exhibited by the present Senate Leadership.
The Senate is a gathering of direct representatives of ‘We’, the people of Nigeria. The Senate does not exist to dance to the music of the President. The Senate, as representative of the people is accountable to us, the people of Nigeria, and not President Bola Tinubu.
It is my submission that the present 10th senate is in the wrong hands and corrective action is required, in the interest of our democracy and Nigeria.
leadership.
In closing, I would also like to use this opportunity to appeal to the NASS to help drive the reduction in the cost of Governance.
Olufemi Adegbulugbe.
PfMP, PgMP, PMP, P. Geo
Member, Federalist Majority (Abuja & Washington DC) writes from Alberta, Canada.
(9News Nigeria)
