Fair enough, the constitution of Nigeria has provided for three arms of government. This is to curb the tendency of tyranny and to reduce the work load of one arm. Majorly, the legislative arm makes the law, the judiciary interprets while the executive implements. Although certain oversight functions are allowed but the constitution doesn’t authorise any arm to take up or sabotage the work of the other. Recent developments have proven the law makers to be saboteurs and selfish putting their own interests above the nation’s on whose mandate they were elected to serve. Since 2015, the relationship between the executive and the legislature has been unhealthy one. As the adage goes” when two elephants fight the grass suffers”.
The masses did suffer from this executive-legislative feud as the National Assembly deliberately delayed the passage of the national budget for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.
In 2016, the 8th Assembly was accused of budget padding up to the tune of N481 billion. The national budget was inflated with extra cost and the inflated sum reportedly went to the pockets of the law makers through dubious implementation of projects. In 2017, the then acting president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, delayed signing the budget because of removal of priority projects and introduction of projects by the law makers. In 2018, the president accused the law makers of doing same.
Similarly, the ICPC report also indicted legislative arm to have hidden under the guise of constituency projects to embezzle funds. It is known that each law maker is elected to represent his or her people at the national level. In addition, they are expected to positively touch the lives of their people at the grassroots hence the need for constituency projects. Instead of carrying out the responsibility deligently, the embezzle the funds, leaving the projects unfunded and uncompleted.
Kudos to the 9th National Assembly as they have really worked with the executive in order to move the country forward. We saw the quick passage of the 2020 appropriation bill within two months and other policies that have aided the president in the smooth running of government. Having said that, their ugly nature can not be overlooked. Recently, the senate president and some senators were accused of receiving job slots from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, thereby hijacking the Npower exercise, an initiative meant to better the lives of the ordinary masses. Although the senate has come out to deny the report but as they say, in every rumour there must be an atom of truth.
Just as the nation was about to come out of that, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, made another shocking revelation on how the legislators want to take control of the special public works, another programme of the executive meant to cater for the poor Nigerians. As usual they want to be in charge of the programme in order to determine “who gets what, when and how”. With this, they can fill in their own candidates and leave the vulnerable people to their own mercies. And because the minister refused to do their bidding, they purportedly suspended the 774,000 jobs selection process. This is another selfish move on the part of the parliament.
These are set of people sitting on fat salaries and allowances. They seem not to be contented with that. Many have agitated for the slash of their pay, reduction in the numbers or even putting them on part-time basis. While all these are yet to be actualised, the least they can do is to focus on their principal task which is to cooperate with the executive to filter policies that can benefit the lives of Nigerians instead of sabotaging and looting.
Adama Umar Ayuba,Abuja [email protected].