We assist constituents – Senate spokesman faults calls for part-time legislature

By John Ogunsemore

Spokesman of the Senate, Senator Yemi Adaramodu has faulted calls for part-time parliament in the country, saying only the legislature is truly accessible to Nigerians among the three arms of government.

Adaramodu spoke as a guest on Channels Television‘s Politics Today on Friday.

The Ekiti South senator emphasised that transiting from a full-time to part-time legislature would be a derision of parliament.

“If the parliament is on part-time, then it means democracy is on part-time.

“There is no democracy that derides its parliament and thrives,” he said.

According to Adaramodu, the duties of legislators extend beyond law making.

He said, “The Nigerian parliament is not only for lawmaking; we do oversight function. We advocate for our constituents.

“It will just be bewildering that even out of the three arms of government that we have in Nigeria, it is only the parliament and parliamentarians that our people have access to. Like me and others.

“We go home almost every time and we are the ones when they give birth to a new baby, they ask for naming ceremony funds. When they are building a new house, it is from us they ask for assistance.

“So, if the parliament was not there, who do you expect that our constituents would run to? The parliament is not just to sit down at the plenary and make laws alone. And when we make laws, we follow it up.”