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Despite the political intrigues that trailed the emergence of the leadership of the 10th National Assembly (NASS), Nigerians expect so much from the members of NASS in terms of making good laws that will ensure transparency in the way government operates, due process and good governance. The choice of leaders of the 10th NASS went according to the plans of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Just as the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, had his way in the anointing of the leaders of the rubber-stamp 9th NASS, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also had his way in putting his chosen men in the leadership of the 10th NASS, which has surprisingly promised that it won’t be a rubber stamp to the executive arm of government.
But many Nigerians think otherwise despite the grandstanding of the new leadership to be their own voice, or be very assertive. Nigerians are watching how the ‘family affair’ game will play out in a few months and a few years’ time. With Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, all members of the ruling party and President Tinubu having a strong hand in their emergence, many pundits believe that old things have not really passed away. They think that it is a return to the familiar turf, the status quo ante, the family affair of PDP politics. I don’t really blame those who think that the 10th NASS leaders chosen according to party supremacy credo will not be assertive enough. It is not easy to dislodge a political godfather, especially the one who is still in power. It is not easy to confront or challenge a godfather as a sitting president. You will only do that at your own political peril. If you are in doubt, ask those who had travelled that road before.
I can rightly concede that they can only bark and may not likely bite otherwise the power strings will be taken from them and new leaders installed effortlessly. We all witnessed that ugly scenario during the Olusegun Obasanjo era in which my zone, the South East, produced five presidents of the Senate in eight years. It is a record yet to be broken by any other geopolitical zone. We don’t pray for another zone to overtake the South East in that political hall of fame or whatever you may like to call it.
However, if they chose to bark and bite at the same time, we shall see how the drama will end. Afterall, it was the leadership of a fearless and assertive NASS that finally rejected Obasanjo’s third term dream. My candid advice to the leadership of the 10th NASS is to be assertive on the path of defending the Constitution and the Nigerian people who they represent and on whose behalf they were elected into office. As representatives of the people, they are under oath to serve them well to the best of their ability. They should be assertive in making good laws that will ensure good governance, laws that will eradicate poverty and joblessness, laws that will ensure equality and justice. We need laws that will make Nigeria a balanced federation, with decentralized policing system and where many of the 68 items on the exclusive legislative list will be devolved to the states. We need laws that will prevent the stealing of our oil wealth and common patrimony by a select few individuals. We need laws that will criminalize oil theft and financial sleaze in high and low places. We need stringent laws to check insecurity, banditry terrorism, kidnapping and other heinous crimes, including financial malfeasance in MDAs. We need laws to stop medical tourism by our public officials and politicians. We need laws that will make Nigeria conducive for all citizens as well as for ease of doing business.
If the leadership of the 10th NASS must bark and bite, let them do so based on altruism, patriotism and never for self-serving reasons. I think that the new NASS leadership can be hot and cold depending on its mood and circumstance. The new Senate President Godswill Akpabio is not a novice to legislative matters. He has been in both arms of government, the executive and the legislature. He has been a commissioner as well as a minister. He has come to the Senate with uncommon experience with enviable records of uncommon achievements as a two-time governor of Akwa Ibom State. I believe he knows when to be soft and when to be hard.
This advice applies also to the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. Nigerians need a 10th NASS that will bring rigour to legislative matters. Let them enhance the quality of debates. They need to make laws that are relevant to the needs of the people. We need laws that will be at the service of the people. Law making is a serious business that requires thoroughness and finesse. We want members of the 10th NASS to approach their legislative duties with the interest of Nigerians at heart. They are in the NASS to represent Nigerians and make laws that will enhance their security and welfare, the primary function of government. Governance is for selfless service. It is for social service. They should put Nigerians at the centre of their legislative duties, including oversights. My free advice to those in power is that they should remember that power is transient.
They should also remember that they are in power not necessarily because they are the best or that they are the brightest or the strongest. They are in power simply because it has pleased God that they should occupy the position of influence to help those they represent. The position of leadership is a privilege and not a right. But in Nigeria, some people take it as a right. In fact, some people take it for granted with their entitlement mentality. We want laws that will guarantee quality education, healthcare services and food security.
We need laws that will enhance adequate housing for all Nigerians. Our housing deficit put at over 17 million is unacceptable. The amendment of the 1999 Constitution by the 9th NASS had been slow, feeble and ineffective. For the 10th NASS, we want such matters to be pursued with vigour and a great sense of mission and urgency. We need good roads and bridges and efficient railway system. In their legislative duties, especially in making laws, let members of the 10th NASS bear in mind that a good law must be in the interest of the people, it must not discriminate, it must be reasonable and must not be anti-people.
