By Faruq Atofarati
The National Assembly has always been known to be a notorious puppet to the Presidency, this time for the 9th Assembly- strictly on account of blind motives for borrowing, leading to the accumulation of the country’s foreign debts, suspected to be jeopardizing the future of every Nigerians on the basis of “Infrastructure”.
Without minding the state of things, insecurity, causing Nigerians to wallow in melancholy, and losing so much to the destruction orchestrated by bandits, kidnappers, and other terrific perpetrators. The 9th Assembly resonate so loud around its first two years, a cause for celebration which Premium Times described “the session which lasted for hours, was dominated by songs of praises with lawmakers taking turns to pat themselves at the back for a ‘job well done’.”
The apparent cordiality that calls for such is because of the meager minds in the Senate, putting themselves above the totem-pole, even though, while scoring themselves high, their success might say otherwise.
Apart from the “January – December budget cycle” which has turned to the “slogan” of the 9th Assembly, the “zazu” of the regime, would hardly not surface as a subject in any speech given by the present Senate President, Lawan. Seems to be the height of their achievements.
The 9th Assembly also boasts of the “cordial relationship with Executives” led by Buhari, which in turn has put Nigerians in a more backward state in terms of economy, finance, and security, because of the unusually heightened “herder-cow” relationship with the Presidency, making the 9th Assembly a counter productive one. Always dancing to the tune of their pay master.
It should however be noted that, many setbacks suffered by the 8th Assembly was because of the poor relationship with the Executives.
The 9th Assembly has also passed crucial bills which include “the Deep off-Shore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act CAP (Amendment Bill, 2009), sought to increase Nigeria’s share of the revenue in its crude oil. Other bills on Finance which Amended the seven existing laws of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2019, sought to create a legal environment conducive for ease of doing business, and also boasts of their response to COVID-19.
Sadly, since assumption of the 9th Assembly, the Senate President and his cohorts are so much indebted to Nigerians for running a National Assembly of emotional affiliation with the Executives, leaving the excesses of the Executives unchecked. And the Senate Leader, playing very well the Executives’ ‘loyalist’, granting every requests without proper scrutinisation.
While excessive loans continue to be a psychological burden to most Nigerians, it also has ruined the administration credibility, not mentioning security, which has been a big slap on the Buhari regime. Nigerians future remains however, a staggering drunk man, walking beside a deep gutter filled with sewage from a cassava processing industry.
In the past years, the 9th Assembly has recorded more inherent failures; inability to keep the house checked as regards to colleagues misconduct or another. Executives non compliance to resolution and Senate’s reluctancy based on the “client-Customer” approach.
Also, the poor habit of embarking on frequent holiday and resuming plenary session late. Budget padding (a continuum problem) in the Senate, and other celebrated abnormalities.
However, the exception of the 8th Senate has led to several rumours that the leader, Saraki, has poor reservations for Nigerians, stalling the progress of the Buhari regime through his decline and rejections of loans for (un)necessary reasons, which has caused a huge apoplexy in the Presidency. Until the arrival of the 9th Assembly under the leadership of Lawan, the 8th Assembly, became a subject of praise and admiration.
Saraki, a notorious brigand for loan rejection based on absence of factual basis. The 8th Assembly leader is a knowledgeable man in terms of finance and economy, maintained his stances and strict adherence to issues as required by the law of the land and legislative convention. The national interest before any personal motives of the ‘money-ticians’.
In the grip of family affairs politics which has lubricated the Buhari regime, the 8th Assembly leader was an outcast, coming with different ideology in governance. A completely different personality from Lawan, who poses as merely obsequious sheep, following orders dutifully from Buhari and his Executives.
At the peril of his ambition, diagnosing the National Assembly and denying several excessiveness of the Executives became a catalyst in advancement to ensure he doesn’t return, and of course, political propagandists ensure he was painted as the obstacle to Nigeria’s development under the Buhari regime. Sadly, it worked, and people believed.
In his four years, he drew critcism because of his policy, though, he successfully passed the Electoral Amendment Bill, Petroleum Industy Governance Bill, Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill, Police Reform Bill, and other interventions in policy and governance.
Also, the National Assembly in 2017 published the National Assembly budget. It was the first time since 2010 when former Senate president, David Mark, blocked disclosure.
Intervention in Primary Healthcare: In May 2019, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said 22 states showed interest in accessing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). This would not have been possible without the intervention of the Senate under Saraki.
Recorded a 293 bills passed, above the numbers of previous Senate since return to Democratic rule.
However, on security which prove complexity for the Executive direct intelligence up till today, even though it was their responsibilty, Saraki’s Senate showed interest. In one of it was a security summit. Apart from the summit, the legislators, almost every week, passes resolutions on security-related issues, although, few of those were implemented by the Executives.
Also, in order to cater for victims of insurgency in the North East, the senate passed the North East Development Commission bill. During the Saraki led Senate.
All these beg the questions of
Why was the public made to believe that the 8th Assembly under Saraki’s leadership is responsible for stalling Nigeria’s growth and development?
Why does Saraki’s name attract flippant, ill-natured and overwhelming lies when the truth lies somewhere around in the blocks?
