As part of efforts to improve the general perception of the National Assembly, its leadership has unveiled plans to engage the Executive arm of government and the general public as part of its third-year celebration of the 8th Assembly.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawal, made this known at the inaugural meeting of the Committee on ‘National Assembly Open Week’ initiated by the Senate, House of Representatives and National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
He explained that the week-long programme is expected to provide a platform for Executive arms and the Electorates to understand the workings of the Federal Parliament in a bid to further strengthen democracy.
While stating concern over the misgivings about the Parliament since 1999, the Leader of the Senate highlighted the need for immense support for the Parliament in the bid to deliver the dividends of democracy.
Lawan who argued that “the National Assembly since 1999 has been battling with the public image, clearly this is the most misunderstood arm of government,” however expressed optimism that “the National Assembly Open Week, will afford us the opportunity to interact with the public and various interest groups in the National Assembly on various activities and operations of the Parliament, ranging from plenary sessions, committees’ activities and oversights functions”
The 8th Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a Bicameral legislature inaugurated on June 9, 2015, and the assembly will run its course till June 9, 2019.
The Role of the National Assembly
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has authorized the National Assembly with the responsibility of making laws that will ensure public order, peaceful cohabitation of Nigerian people, and good governance of the Federation.
The role of the National Assembly include extensive oversight functions, and it is also vested with the powers to establish committees of its members for the purpose of examining the bills brought to the National Assembly and inspecting the conduct and activities of government establishments and officials.
The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has conferred the National Assembly with exclusive powers to inspect appointments of the Executive and confirm appointments of the Executive. It must confirm such major appointment of the Executive otherwise such government appointee cannot be given oath of office or allotted a portfolio.
Such appointment of the Executive includes Ministers, Special Advisers, Ambassadors, and top Judicial Officers, who might head some specified levels of courts, and the Auditor-General of the Federation, and the Chairmen, as well as, Members of the important National Commissions.
These duties are expressly documented in Chapter 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In comparison: Similar tradition around the world
This initiative by the National Assembly isn’t totally new to the world or to the country. It is a tradition practiced in various countries in the world and which goes by varying titles. Most popularly known is the town hall meetings.
Town hall meetings are opportunities for local and national politicians to meet with their constituents, either to hear from them on topics of interest or to discuss specific upcoming legislation or regulations.
Notwithstanding their name, town hall meetings are not necessarily held in town halls. They are usually held in a range of venues including schools, libraries, public buildings, and churches. A number of officials in certain countries have also tested digital formats for town halls. Town hall meetings organized by national politicians are often held in a variety of locations distributed across a voting district so that elected representatives can receive feedback from a larger proportion of constituents.
In the United States, town halls are a common way for national politicians to connect or reconnect with their constituents during recesses, when they are in their home districts away from Washington, DC.
In line with fulfilling his inclusive governance mandate, on Thursday 14th of April 2016, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, met with residents of Ikorodu during the quarterly Town Hall Meeting, which is the 3rd in the series since the commencement of his administration on the 29th of May, 2015.
This initiative by the National Assembly seeks to help clarify several misconceptions regarding Federal Legislators and the roles of the legislators.
