The ongoing conflict between the Executive and the National Assembly which followed your scathing criticism of the lawmakers before signing the 2018 budget, I must say, is most unfortunate and unbecoming of your status as president. To consistently seek to cast the leadership and members of the National Assembly as villains does not augur well for the continuous survival of our democracy. To pitch Nigerians against the National Assembly is to destroy the engine room of our democracy. This is most uncharitable and unfair. By reason of our constitutional democracy, no arm of government can be self-sufficient.
I say this because of the constitutionally guaranteed powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds and judicial pronouncements affirming the powers of the legislature to make input into budget estimates submitted to it by the executive. Section 80(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), states and I quote, “No Moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner PRESCRIBED (emphasis mine) by the National Assembly.” Besides, Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, had in a case of Falana v the Federal Government ruled that the legislature does not exist as a rubber stamp of the executive. The Honourable Justice also upheld the powers of the legislature to make “INPUTS” (emphasis mine), into the budget where necessary. Justice Kolawole had said that: “The National Assembly was not created by drafters of the Constitution and imbued with powers to receive ‘budget estimates’ which the first defendant (executive) is constitutionally empowered to prepare and lay before it, as a RUBBER STAMP PARLIAMENT (emphasis mine). The whole essence of the budget estimates being required to be laid before Parliament is to enable it, being Assembly of the representatives of the people, to debate the budget proposals and to make its own well informed legislative inputs into it.”
Following your claim that certain provisions in the 2018 budget might be difficult to implement, my question is, what was the level of implementation of the 2015, 2016 and 2017 capital appropriations to justify your assertion? With a record of about 20 per cent implementation of capital budget in the last three years, this administration has the unenviable record of very low budget execution. I think the executive should rather tell Nigerians where all the money for unexecuted projects in the last three years are being kept instead of beguiling gullible Nigerians with unwarranted affront against the National Assembly. As a member of the ruling party, I can say without fear of contradiction that the sole reason for this animosity and hatred towards the National Assembly is the fact that the current leadership of the National Assembly emerged by popular will as against imposition. Those who failed to impose leaders on the 8th National Assembly have continued to engage every avenue to undermine them and this has to stop.
In addition, Mr. President, I dare say that the present National Assembly has been most supportive of your administration by overlooking your constitutional breaches in the spirit of forbearance and peaceful coexistence. For example, the withdrawal of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account for security purposes and the recent payment of $496million for 12 Fighter Jets, without recourse to the National Assembly, fall within the ambit of impeachable offenses. But they decided not to go the way of impeachment in the spirit of collaboration and harmonious working relationship.
Let me further add that the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the lawmakers of the 8th National Assembly deserve praise for their resilience, focus and standing up for the rule of law and due process in the discharge of their mandate. They have far surpassed the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Senate in the number and quality of economic bills passed, confirmed nominees, oversight and advocacy. Don’t get me wrong, they definitely have their faults, but by refusing to become rubber stamp, they are charting the right course for our democracy. They ought to be celebrated rather than setting them up for undue vilification.
Sir, you may not like the manner in which Saraki and Dogara emerged as Presiding Officers of the Senate and House of Representatives respectively, but all you need is to work with the institution of the National Assembly to realize your electioneering promises rather than personalizing issues in the manner you have done. Because you did not like the emergency of Saraki and Dogara, your government has continued to harass and intimidate them and other members of the National Assembly in a bid to subjugate and turn them into Executive rubber stamp. This has to stop!
Sir, I believe it is time you stop complaining and engaging in blame games. It is time to stop demonizing the National Assembly. You were elected to fix the country but if you have nothing substantial to show for your stewardship in the last three years, no amount of buck passing will turn failure into success or lack of performance to achievements. Blaming the National Assembly for lack of direction and appreciable achievement in the last three years cannot be a passmark on any scorecard. Don’t forget that you were not elected to tame the National Assembly. You were elected to lead the country on the path of progressive development through good governance, obedience to the rule of law and genuine collaboration with other arms of government.
With best regards.
Yours sincerely,
Written by Comrade Timi Frank.
timifrank40@gmail.com
07033555555
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