Gbajabiamila made this declaration when he distributed some economic self-empowerment tools to members of his Surulere, Lagos constituency, adding that his mandate was to engage and collaborate with other stakeholders to bring home dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
This, according to the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, is the correct attitude.
“There is this wrong notion, perhaps a scar from our recent legislative past, that belligerence and rancour between the Executive and a stubborn National Assembly is the benchmark for a booming democracy. That notion is false and in fact retrogressive. Well-functioning democracies involve partnerships between the arms of government for good governance to be delivered.
“What we see today with the 9th National Assembly and President Buhari’s second term is a healthy democracy as the two arms see each other as partners for progress. “.
BMO says it believes that the erroneous view that the 9th National Assembly is a rubber stamp legislature comes from a slippery understanding of how democracies work. “Elected officials of parliament are not expected to go to the National Assembly to become disagreeable and pitch selfish interests that run counter to the overall interest of good governance and the country’s development.
“This is the point Gbajabiamila has made eloquently. He is in the House to push for the betterment of his people, to work with the Executive and his other colleagues to work for Nigeria’s development, and not against it – as was the case with the leadership and some members of the 8th Assembly.
“He is nobody’s stooge. He is a servant of his people, and that means his people’s interest comes first.”
BMO noted that the government of a country is a single unit, stating that those who were elected to government offices – whether in the executive or the legislature – were there first for the purpose of serving the people, and that should not in any way affect or negate the concept of separation of power.
“The principles of Separation of Power suggest that arms of government work side-by-side, arm-in-arm, not against each other. It suggests that one arm of government does not encroach into the functions and powers of the other arms. That is, we do not expect the Executive to pass laws, neither do we expect the Judiciary to execute their judgments.
“While the principles of Checks and Balances are such that where any arm of government exceeds the powers granted it by the Constitution, the other arms of government call out such excesses and, when necessary, correct them. These operations in no way suggest conflict, disharmony or belligerence, as some would want to make us believe is what democracy means – a wrong postulation.”
The group highlighted that Nigerians have already experienced the counter-development that comes with a belligerent legislature in the 8th National Assembly leadership, and thus want to experience progressive development possible through healthy alliances, partnerships and dialogue.
“The unfortunate experiences of stagnated government processes that in turn slowed down the nation’s development as witnessed in the Saraki and Dogara led 8th National Assembly is still fresh in our minds. It is certainly not the path any Nigerian serious about the country’s development would seek we return to.
“Critical laws were slowed down or not passed at all; appropriation laws were delayed for no good reason; games that were counter-productive to national development were being played by the 8th Assembly leadership; sensitive approvals were met with nonchalance; these and worse were the legacy of the 8th Assembly under the leadership of Senator Saraki and Speaker Dogara. Nigerians do not want to see any of these again. And that is what the Senator Lawan and Speaker Gbajabiamila led 9th Assembly are assuring us we would not return to.”