The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, has blamed the high turnover of lawmakers in the National Assembly on what he described as executive rascality by state governors who most-times decide who gets ticket in every election circle.
He lamented that the high turnover of members of the National Assembly at every election circle is having negative effect on the legislative process, development and performance as it robs the parliament of institutional memory and experienced hands.
He said this on Monday while speaking as a guest lecturer at the House of Representatives 2022 Press Corps Week and Award ceremony held at the National Assembly, Abuja.
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He said since the return of democracy in 1999, one of the major challenges threatening the institutionalisation of the legislature in Nigeria was the high rate of turnover of legislators.
He said the domineering influence of governors who control parties’ structures and delegates during primaries remained a big challenge.
Prof. Abubakar said the governors usually manipulated the parties’ machinery to work against the return bid of lawmakers who are not in their good books.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, while also lamenting the high turnover of lawmakers in the National Assembly on the account of ‘executive rascality’ said if not checked, it would continue to negatively impact on the quality of legislations in the country.
Gbajabiamila, who was represented by the House Deputy Majority Leader, Peter Akpatason, said “the more experienced parliamentarians we have, the better for our democracy.”
By Itodo Daniel Sule & Balarabe Alkassim
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