By Charles Okoh
Perhaps, the greatest reason good leadership has continued to elude us is because the executive has consistently cowed the other arms of government into total submission and capitulation. Such that the executive can effectively do without the necessary input of the other more critical arms of government; the legislature and judiciary.
Under President Muhammadu Buhari, the legislature and judiciary were reduced to mere appendages and branches of the executive. In fact, Ahmad Lawan’s 9th leadership of the Senate hit an all-time low in that regard. For Lawan, he was even proud to announce to a bewildered nation that under his watch, the senate would never have any reason to disagree with the executive. And that promise was kept until the end of Buhari’s second term. And for that he was rewarded with another tenure at the Senate in a move that would pass as the 8th wonder of the world.
Again, Buhari’s amorphous regime got away with its recklessness, lack of direction and purposeless leadership because the critical arms of government, legislature and the judiciary, that should checkmate him, failed to live up to their billing and roles.
Buhari, sorry the presidency, emasculated the judiciary by appointing rudderless leaders to head it, while he ensured that the 9th National Assembly was happy and content with being addressed as rubber stamps. The legislature which is supposed to be closer to the people was so poor in its delivery that not even the murder of harmless youths on the streets during the 2021 EndSARS protest could convince it to upset the status quo.
At its valedictory session Lawan had said by the end of the 9th Senate, a total of 500 bills had been passed, adding that “As of July 2022, a total of 874 bills were introduced in the Senate, out of which 162 were passed. 104 bills of the 9th Senate were assented to by President Buhari.”
Senator Lawan’s Senate appeared more interested in the number of laws churned out than the effect of those laws on the nation. While credit must be given to the 9th Assembly for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, the Electoral Reform Bill and the return of the budgetary calendar from January to December, its subservience to the executive was not lost on Nigerians.
The much celebrated Petroleum and Electoral Acts were short in delivery. Nothing changed, only perhaps, in grandeur and nomenclature. NNPC changed to NNPCL with the same opaque operations and corruption still in place. Electoral Act that delivered the most disputed elections with an electoral body (INEC), speaking with both sides of its mouth.
The legislature’s amorous link with the Executive led to the neglect of its primary constitutional function of checking the excesses of the Executive. The 9th National Assembly also neglected to advance the results of many public hearings of critical national issues as well as their oversight functions.
It is for a reason that its oversight functions are considered more critical because given the leeway the executive would ride any nation roughshod.
It is against this backdrop that the nation is waiting with bated breath to see what quality the 10th National Assembly leadership of Senator Akpabio in the senate and Tajudeen Abbas, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, would be made of.
Of both Chambers so far, the Senate has been more in the news and for the wrong reasons too. Are their faux pas, so far, as a result of inexperience or what? This is left to be seen in the coming days and months. However, for now Akpabio needs to realise that the task before him is not a tea party or another social assembly where anything goes.
Akpabio’s gaffes would have more to do with the fact that he still has not come to terms with the reality that the mood in the nation now is not one that affords him the pleasure to take things lightly and treat issues of national importance and relevance with such levity.
A few weeks ago, a matter as serious as the effect of the removal of subsidies by the federal government and its debilitating impact was made to look inconsequential because Akpabio chose, rather wrongly, to laugh when it was being discussed. How then do you convince the people that you are serious about your resolution with a disposition as that?
The statement issued by the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, afterwards saying “Insinuating that the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Godswill Akpabio, was mocking the Nigerian masses with the phrase ‘Let The Poor Breathe, is dressing falsehood and mischief in an undesirable garment,” was not necessary if only the Senate and its leadership had shown through their comportment that they felt the pain of the people. How do you laugh over an issue and still want the people to believe that you are sympathetic with them in their plight?
Yet in another slip, Senator Akpabio last week disclosed that money had been sent to his colleagues to enjoy their holiday.
Akpabio made the disclosure apparently unaware that the proceedings were still being captured on live camera.
In trying to retract his statement, he now said, “I withdraw that statement. In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mailboxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”
Clearly, Akpabio, who had the sobriquet of uncommon governor, was outstanding while he served as the governor of Akwa Ibom. Even his adversaries cannot deny him that. He stood out as one of the few governors of that era that delivered the dividend of democracy to his people.
However, Akpabio as Senate President, must wake up to the reality that his every move and comment would carry greater weight and be watched by a wider audience, by far more than when he was a governor or minister for that matter. He should be prepared to take advice and be more tactful and circumspect with his every action and statement, especially now when more and more Nigerians are getting despondent and frustrated.
The task before Akpabio now is greater than his previous experience. Being constantly at loggerheads with the Executive is not what one is advocating, but the National Assembly must realise that if it comes down to choosing between the narrow interests of the executive and other political office holders and the greater good of the greater majority of the people, the latter must prevail at all times.
*Okoh is a commentator on public issues
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