To begin with, the seventh term bid of Senate President Ahmad Lawan for the National Assembly should and or must follow the due process of law. As the third citizen in the land and a lawmaker, he must make sure that due process is followed. Anything short of due process will make one fault his bid. As politicians, both Senator Lawan and Mr Machina should sort themselves out.
However, there is absolutely nothing wrong in being in the National Assembly for many terms or years provided the law maker does his work of law making, oversight functions and representation to the satisfaction of his people. An experienced, competent, result-oriented, and a high performing law maker is better than a novice. On the other hand, no matter the experience of a non performing law maker he or she should be rejected.
It worries me to note that some social media commentators either due to lack of knowledge of what is obtainable in American presidential system from where we copief our system or due to mischief are condemning the seventh term bid of Senator Lawan on the basis of over stay.
Some people opine that it should be enough for Senator Lawan who would have served for 24 years by 2023, having served for eight years in the House of Representatives and 16 years in the Senate. Some people further argue that after all even if he succeeds he will only remain as an ordinary floor member not a principal officer. It is important to state that principal officers are only first among equals. The business of law making is beyond just being a principal officer.
Below are 20 longest served/serving senators of the United States of America:
- Robert C. Byrd from Jan 3, 1959-Jun 28, 2010 (51 years, 5 months, 26 days). 2. Daniel K. Inouye from Jan 3, 1963-Dec 17, 2012 (49 years, 11 months, 15 days).3. Patrick J. Leahy from Jan 3, 1975-present (47 years, 1 month, 11 days).4.Edward M. Kennedy from Nov 7, 1962-Aug 25, 2009 (46 years, 9 months, 19 days).5. Orrin G. Hatch from Jan 3, 1977-Jan 3, 2019 (42 years).6. Carl T. Hayden from Mar 4, 1927-Jan 3, 1969 (41 years, 10 months).7. John C. Stennis from Nov 5,1947-Jan 3, 1989(41 years, 1 month, 29 days).8.Chuck Grassley from Jan 3, 1981-present(41 years, 1 month, 11 days).9.Ted Stevens from Dec 24, 1968-Jan 3, 2009 (40 years, 10 days).10. Thad Cochran from Dec 27, 1978-Apr 1, 2018(39 years, 3 months, 6 days).
- Fritz Hollings from Nov 9, 1966-Jan 3, 2005 (38 years, 1 month, 25 days).12.Richard B. Russell, Jr. fromJan 12, 1933-Jan 21, 1971 (38 years, 10 days).13. Russell B. Long from Dec 31, 1948-Jan 3, 1987( 38 years, 3 days).14.Mitch McConnell from Jan 3, 1985-present (37 years, 1 month, 11 days).15. Warren G. Magnuson from Dec 14, 1944-Jan 3,1981(36 years, 20 days).16.Joe Biden from Jan 3, 1973-Jan 15, 2009 (36 years, 13 days).17. Pete V. Domenici from Jan 3, 1973-Jan 3, 2009(36 years).18. Kenneth D. McKellar from Mar 4, 1917-Jan 3, 1953 (35 years, 10 months).19. Claiborne Pell from Jan 3, 1961-Jan 3, 1997 (36 years).20.Milton R. Young from Mar 12, 1945-Jan 3, 1981 (35 years, 9 months, 22 days).
May God bless Nigeria!
Nurudeen Dauda,
Kaduna
[email protected]
