State of Nigeria’s legislature

Nigeria’s legislative arm of government is tasked to make laws for the good health of the society. But as Africa’s largest economy tests murky waters in uncharted territories, is Nigeria’s legislature fit for purpose?  CNBC Africa’s Onyi Sunday spoke to Shehu Sani Senator representing Kaduna Central District on the state of Nigeria legislative arm of government.

I will start off with the latest disturbing quote coming from the senate “Give peace a chance or impeach the president”, Senator, can you talk us through what is going on at the moment?
SANI: We were in a close session which involved only senators in the hall. Within ourselves, there were issues tabled for discussions, one of which was the refusal of the attorney general of the federation to honour the invitation he sent to him and then some senators were angry, then someone raised the issue that some of the political appointees were disrespectful of the senate and the president was not doing what he is supposed to do in terms of bringing them to order.

The issue of impeachment was simply from someone who uttered the word, that we should go for the jugular of Mr President if he in anyway is not reigning on his own aids and political appointees. Among the senators, someone leaked the deliberations to the media and it was reflected as though, there was a collective decision to leak the idea of an impeachment. Impeachment is a very strong legislative instrument and tool. As sensitive as it was, it became a subject of national discourse and controversy, but there was never a time in the senate that we mooted the idea of impeaching the president.

It’s a good thing that the information got to the public and now, we have an idea what has been going on in the legislature. But how did the whole issue get to this? Has it been that bad over the past few months?
SANI: Well, for the past one year since the inauguration of the senate, the relationship between the parliament and the presidency, the executive arm of the state has not been too cordial. For every reason, the parliament has acceded to the demands of the executive in terms of the budget and declaration of ministerial nominees. Of recent, the trial of the senate president and his deputy of forgery in the Federal High Court Abuja inflamed the whole situation the more.

In that sense, there were people who believe that there is an unnecessary Interference from the executive on what is happening in the national assembly, they incited the case of interfering in our standing order as one. The attorney general was summoned to come and defend himself on why he was a council member before he became the minister, and now he is filing a charge against the senate president and his deputy; he was invited three times and he refused to appear, that was what inflamed tension and created an atmosphere of disharmony between the two arms of the government.

Let’s talk about the forgery; while the AGF was addressing the senators, he did say that the constitution empowers the senate to regulate its internal affairs. We all know what the senate president is facing now with the forgery case, did he act in favour of the national interest, let’s assume, he is not, should we just close our eyes to the misdemeanour of what is happening in order to move the nation forward?
SANI: The argument from the side of the senate is that there is no existing standing order for the senate for all times. Every senate decision has its own standing order and none of the senate is binding by the standing order from the previous senate. Before you forge a document, there must be an original but when you come in as new senators, you are bound by the rules which you set for yourselves.

That was the argument being given from the side of the senate committee on the judiciary but the attorney general was insisting that the rules were tampered with and he had to file a case, the issue which arose was that before he became the attorney general, he was a leading council to solve the complainants and there was a conflict of interest at that very point and that internal rule of the senate is simply for the senate. I think what actually happened was the failure of attempts to reconcile those who were exercised out and those who were now in power at the senate. Three attempts were made and solutions could not be found.

What do you make of the issue between Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Remi Tinubu, you did say there has been some form of disagreement within the senate in the past one year, and the issuing of statement made by the former governor of Lagos state, chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, do you see this issues escalating beyond this?
SANI: It is unfortunate that the two distinguished senators are on the national spotlight for wrong reasons. What we are trying to do from the inside is damage control. I was a bit shocked because Senator Remi Tinubu is a very respectable woman who has consistently carried on herself in goodwill with many senators. She is a second term serving senator and she earned a lot of respect for always respecting herself. For senator Dino too, I have always seen a good rapport between the two of them, on many occasions, he comes over to greet her and he considered her as an aunt. What actually happened was the issue that were raised in the close session where temper rose to the highest and there was no doubt about it, senator Dino Melaye is from the like minds of the group, she is identified from the unity group, The issues at stake was about the trial of the senate president.

Two of them went on a high note saying unnecessary things which I can’t start to recount. Many things are done behind closed doors, we can quarrel but what is expected of senators is to comport themselves in public. Also, the involvement of Asiwaju is natural, when the issues of your wife is raised, as a responsible man, you need to respond to protect her, I believe Senator Dino’s wife can also express herself but I don’t think this is in the best interest of this country at this time.

Let’s talk about the sex scandal which happens to be the mother of all in the past few month, A hearing was stalled yesterday after the US ambassador to Nigeria failed to show up, it was described as a very embarrassing news for the senate and for the country, what’s your take on this?
SANI: First, we must look at it from all aspects, the legislature raised the bar to challenge the US ambassador to bring his evidence, if he doesn’t do that, then certainly his claim will be taken as lies as an attempt to damage the reputation of these persons. Secondly, for the ambassador, I think when things like this happen in the United States, what the ambassador will do is to raise the issue with the federal ministry of external affairs and from that point, you complain to the government. I don’t see how an envoy will directly complain to a parliament bypassing the executive and also to the point of also being invited to come and testify.

I don’t see how a Nigerian ambassador of the United States will petition the US House of Representatives or senate and be invited to come and speak without a cause to the government of United States executive arm. For his own credibility and for his country which he has now put on the line, he should be able to produce evidence so that actions can be taken. For the legislature to go to such country and do such kind of thing, if actually it happened is a serious damage for the reputation and image of our country.