In an interview with VANGUARD, Dr. Usman Bugaje, a political analyst and former National Secretary of the now-defunct Action Congress, attacked the National Assembly for not fulfilling its constitutional obligations, calling the legislature self-serving and ineffectual and asserting that it has given up on holding the executive branch accountable.
Bugaje highlighted that the National Assembly has significant powers to check executive excesses, but its members are not utilizing these powers effectively.
He argued that many lawmakers prioritize personal enrichment over addressing the needs of their constituents.
He pointed out that rather than tackling critical issues like education, infrastructure, and healthcare, lawmakers focus on distributing minor items such as rice and oil in their constituencies.
The recent handling of the Tax Reform Bills has further exposed the weaknesses of the National Assembly.
Bugaje suggested that many legislators lack the expertise and commitment to thoroughly examine such bills.
He argued that their focus seems to be on personal benefits rather than meaningful legislative work that impacts the public.
Bugaje also criticized the culture of patronage and complacency within the National Assembly.
He warned that this approach not only weakens democracy but also erodes public trust in the institution.
He expressed concerns that continued neglect of governance issues could lead to public unrest, as citizens grow increasingly frustrated with ineffective leadership.
Calling for reforms, Bugaje urged the National Assembly to refocus on its legislative duties and to represent the interests of the people with integrity.
He stated that a functional and accountable legislature is critical for Nigeria’s political stability and development.
“Let me start with the Constitution. With all its perceived faults, the 1999 Constitution still has certain elements that can check the excesses of an executive. Like I said, in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Constitution, the sequence of the institutions of government start with the National Assembly. The National Assembly is powerful enough to check the President. It is just that we don’t have a National Assembly. We have groups of people who are just out there to make money. They have no idea of what their job is and they just go to their poor constituencies and share rice, palm oil, etc and nobody talks about that,” he said.