Abstract
This paper takes a departure from the usual environmental or external challenges and hindrances faced by Nigerian legislators and legislative institution. It showcases variables associated with the apolitical and unethical conducts of some of the members of the 8th National Assembly and its accompanying implications on legislative mandate, process and service delivery. Analytically and relying on secondary data, special focus is given to the avoidable intrigues, uninspiring respect for rules, unparliamentary conduct and attitudinal behaviour of the legislators exemplified by unethical utterances and frivolous demands, legislative immaturity, lack of respect for colleagues, political intolerance, democratic brigandage and thuggery, and constant reverence and tribute to ethnic sentiments and values which have been serious impediments on the institution and its operators ability to deliver the expected legislative goods in the change mantra. The paper concludes with recommendations for better legislative process, institution and legislators and what is required to make Legislature and Legislators in Nigeria responsible and responsive to the demands and values of substantive democracy and good governance. This is with a view to rescuing the country’s democracy and its entire political development from being strangulated and pushed into a very narrow precipice.
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Notes
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ibid.
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In Nigeria, this is a device to ensure that lawmakers have direct involvement in initiating and execution of projects in their various constituencies. Each legislator has direct access to the fund and supervision of the projects. Although this is akin to legislative encroachment into the executive responsibilities, it was a design to mitigate the incessant legislative-executive frictions that have characterized the Nigerian presidential system since May 29, 1999. In practical terms, it is an avenue by which the legislators have direct access to funds outside legislative activities and thereby serve as an avenue for personal enrichment. Indeed, a former president, who was the architect of the design, describe it as corruption (Oparra 2017).
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The Prosecuting Counsel, Alhaji Aliyu Umar, had notified the Court that the decision was out of respect for the rule of law because a similar case was pending before another Court (Tsa and Orji 2016). It was true that there was an amendment to the Senate Standing Orders 2015, in respect of the conditions for the election of Principal officers (Abubakar et al. 2016). The contention was that the amendments did not follow the due process.
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For the details, see http://www.nassnig.org/nass2/acts.php
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Olaopa, O.R., Ojakorotu, V. (2019). Playing Nollywood with Parliamentary Duties: Nigeria’s National Assembly as a Theatre of Politics of the Amusement Park. In: Fagbadebo, O., Ruffin, F. (eds) Perspectives on the Legislature and the Prospects of Accountability in Nigeria and South Africa. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93509-6_9
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