Former PGF CEO Lukman regrets the National Assembly’s approval

Former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, has criticized the National Assembly for its alleged dispassionate attitude and inability to defend Nigerians who are subjected to injurious policies.

In an article titled “The importance of legislation for democracy,” shared with The Guardian on Tuesday, Lukman expressed concern about the lack of courageous voices from individual lawmakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives to oppose policies that are harmful to citizens.

He argued that both houses of the National Assembly and their members are completely unable to control the president and members of the executive branch.

He argued that over the past 25 years, the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly had been systematically demoted to the status of presidential appointees, largely due to the weakening and subordination to the president of the party machine or bodies that were supposed to serve as negotiating platforms.

Lukman pointed to what he called President Bola Tinubu’s “impulsive” declaration to end subsidies on petroleum fuels without any clear plan, and the subsequent decision to free up the naira’s exchange rate against other international currencies with almost no plan, as examples of such policies without the involvement of the National Assembly.

He argued that the consequence of this reality is a drastic deterioration of living conditions in the country due to an unimaginable drop in the value of incomes.

According to him, after more than a year, there has been no visible logical response from the government and there has been hardly any debate in either of the two houses of the National Assembly on issues affecting the well-being of Nigerians.

He said: “It is no secret that Nigerians are shocked and deeply disappointed with the performance of the 10th National Assembly, which has recorded the fastest passage of implementing laws so far, including the scandalous reversal of the decision to cancel the old national anthem, which makes little sense without a public hearing.

“Currently, through the 10th National Assembly, President Tinubu’s government is churning out three budgets simultaneously – the 2023 budgets, the 2023 supplementary budgets and the 2024 budgets. There are speculations that a fourth supplementary budget for 2024 is on its way, which if it happens, will be clearly passed, making it the fourth concurrent budget.

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“The policy decisions of successive Nigerian governments, including the current one, have taken precedence over the lives of citizens. ₦15 trillion is being spent on the coastal road from Lagos to Calabar, billions have been spent on the presidential yacht, accommodation for the vice president, purchase of luxury vehicles for elected and appointed government officials including members of the National Assembly, a new presidential plane is to be purchased, etc. The list is almost endless and growing and the cost is simply punitive.”

Recalling the experience of Kenya, he noted that the lack of an organisational strategy, as well as the lack of integration, had prevented young people in Nigeria from effectively combating what he called the forces of darkness in the country.

Painting a picture of how the National Assembly has been systemically compromised under Tinubu, he claimed: “To achieve this seemingly current docile and reluctant leadership, President Asiwaju Tinubu sought the support of members of the National Assembly in both houses. Now, with all sorts of incentives given to leaders and members of both houses, including a 74% increase in the budget allocation for 2024, both leaders and members of the 10th National Assembly are being manipulated to approve every proposal of the president.

“It is to be noted that the 74% increase in the National Assembly budget has increased the allocation to N344.85 billion from the original proposal of N197.93 billion. Another additional incentive borders on some allegations regarding the activities of the committees of both houses in the oversight of government agencies. The committees allegedly limit their oversight functions to the activity of extorting money from government agencies.

“This is related to the fact that the management of budget allocations by the National Assembly leaders is shrouded in secrecy. Even the salaries of members are similarly shrouded in secrecy, with many claims of salaries going through the roof. There are also allegations of budget inflating, which looks more like corruption funds in the name of constituency projects controlled by members.

“Part of the challenge of our democracy is that the two houses of the National Assembly are accountable only to each other. The Public Accounts Committees in both houses are expected to oversee the management of funds allocated to the National Assembly.

“In some way, these are issues that contribute to the current reality in which the National Assembly, its leadership and members lose moral authority to regulate the conduct of the Executive Branch of government. As such, they function practically at the mercy of the President and the members of the Executive Branch, almost as if they were employees of the Executive Branch.

“Using all these incentives, the president and the executive arm members have seamlessly turned on the gaslight, which leaves the members with no choice but to believe and approve any proposal made, even if it is harmful to the public interest. By serving as a machine that harms the people, they become a liability and therefore are ultimately rejected.

“Given that there are certainly many credible, experienced and very patriotic members in both houses of the National Assembly, the question must be asked, when will such members of the Nigerian National Assembly regain or recreate their humane and democratic souls and start emerging and promoting national debates in the Nigerian Parliament that will be capable of reawakening the confidence of Nigerians in our democracy?

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“When will we have truly Nigerian patriots who are selfless, visionary and forward-looking in the Nigerian Parliament, whose moral standing is unassailable and who can serve as the political hard currency required to illuminate our democracy? When will Nigerian democracy evolve to such an extent that members of the National Assembly will command the respect not only of the Executive but also of the people, whereby the present travesty of operating at the mercy of a narcissistic reality that is destroying both the leaders of the Executive and Legislative Branches will be overcome and a new era of accountability and transparency will prevail in the management of public resources?

“The point is that Nigerian democracy, such as it is, does not functionally represent the interests of the people, mainly because the parliament represented by the two chambers of the National Assembly – the Senate and the House of Representatives – has involuntarily submitted to the narcissistic control of the president. Until the parliament frees itself from the president, it will be almost impossible for it to develop the capacity to defend and protect the interests of Nigerians.

“This will require a holistic approach to driving deeper reforms in Nigerian politics, so that the survival of Nigerian politicians is not a function of the ‘benevolence’ of the president. It will require that political parties in Nigeria be transformed beyond the status of partners in the president’s shadow. If this is to be achieved, political party organs must not only be able to function, but their decisions must be binding on every party leader and member, including the president.”