NASS

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

A former Senator, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has called on members of the 10th National Assembly to be firm and audacious in carrying out their legislative functions

Sani, a human rights activist-turned politician, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja,

He said for the lawmakers to defend the independence of the parliament, they must be critical in their checks and balances and oversight functions.

Sani, while assessing the performance of the 10th national assembly, said that the current legislature is in-between the Eighth and Ninth Assembly in terms of performance.

“While every set of the national assembly has its peculiar experiences, challenges and issues, the basic functions of the legislature are law-making and performing oversight functions on the executive to ensure checks and balances.

”One of the factors that distinguished the eighth senate was its ability to stand up to the executive arm of the government at that very time.

“But that standard dropped during the ninth NASS when it became a rubber stamp and a forum of praise singers, approving every request from the executive without asking questions.

“if I should rate the 10th NASS, they are in-between the eighth and ninth assembly, because they are still in the business of approval, approval with very little checks.

“But on a more dignifying level, I have not seen any serious controversy affecting the sanctity of this assembly as to say that they are also rubber stamp.

“They are not rubber stamp, but they are also not as independent, progressive and accounting as we used to be at the eighth senate,’’ he said.

Sani said that as the closest arm of government to the people, he would love to see the 10th NASS to be stricter in activating its checks and balances power.

“For example, on the matters of the kind of money that government is borrowing, policies and programmes being implemented that are causing so much pains to the masses, they are expected to be more proactive.

“For example, the telecommunication companies are increasing their tariffs. I want to see the national assembly pressing them down.

“On the unnecessary charges that banks are charging and some policies of the Central Banks of Nigeria (CBN), causing the people pains, they should be very vocal and firm, but that is not happening.

“They should be firm on the issue of inflation, making sure that the economic reforms and other programmes do not impact negatively on the lives of our people, but I am not seeing that,’’ he said.

The former senator said that every lawmaker must uphold, protect and defend the integrity and dignity of the parliament, maintaining that the national assembly is not a department of the executive.(NAN)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu and ‘Wale Sadeeq