Titles and little more
Solomonsydelle, who writes the "Nigerian Curiousity" blog, is not happy with the quality of legislators in Nigeria. His description of Nigerian Senators and Representatives fits with we see in textbook descriptions of the government. And it helps explain why the regime is focused on the presidency.Does Nigeria need a "non-reelection" law? What would make things better?
NIGERIA'S 'DISTINGUISHED', 'HONORABLE' & USELESS
Nigerians love their titles. As such, it is common to find people with a Chief, Dr., Engr., or all of the above in front of their name. And, they expect to be referenced by their title which indicates their many achievements and successes. It is no different for Nigeria's legislators. The members of the House of Representatives insist on being addressed as 'Honorable', while their peers in the Senate are referred to as 'Distinguished'. But given the record of the present class of legislators, and their most recent battle over where the 2010 budget is to be read, it is hard to call members of either body anything but useless.
President Yar'Adua's attempt to read the 2010 budget before the National Assembly in the House of Representatives created a major fracas that only serves to put politicians in further disrepute. The Senate took offense to the President's decision to read the budget at the home of their 'Honorable' peers and demanded that the venue be changed...
Unfortunately, such childish behavior is little surprise to most Nigerians and especially those who follow Nigerian politics closely...
Furthermore, although members of both bodies automatically become millionaires once they manage to gain, legally or otherwise, their position, their last session was a disgrace with the nation's 109 Senators only showing up for 90 days of work in 2008. And, as of February 2009, the House of Representatives had only passed an unimpressive 21 bills since its tenure began in 2007...
Doing away with all incumbents, will likely be a lesson to politicians that there will be consequences when they ignore the needs of their constituents and instead feed their already obese egos. A no-incumbents strategy is literally one of the only strategic yet peaceful options left for Nigerians themselves to force the political accountability that is necessary for true democracy to actualize in the country...
My advice to President Yar'adua is that he circumvent both bodies and read the budget on national television, radio stations and online to those who the budget will affect the most - the Nigerian people.
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Labels: leadership, Nigeria, politics
posted by Ken Wedding @ 6:31 AM
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From Vanguard (Lagos)
Budget Row - Yar'Adua Summons Mark, Bankole
"President Umaru Yar'Adua has summoned the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives - David Mark and Oladimeji Bankole - over the 2010 budget presentation row which has pitched the two legislative chambers against each other.
"Presidency sources disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, that the president decided to wade into the matter with a view to amicably resolving what has clearly been considered in many quarters as an unnecessary battle of ego in the federal legislature which prevented the president from presenting the budget to a joint session of the lawmakers last Thursday...
"Presidency sources said that the President had to call the two leaders of the two chambers to work out an amicable resolution of the rift in the interest of the nation..."
Senate, Reps Get N4 Trillion 2010 Budget Today
"The Senate and the House of Representatives will separately receive the Federal Government's 2010 budget of N4 trillion today, dousing the tension that had existed between the two houses over the venue for the budget presentation..."
Yar'Adua Returns to Saudi Hospital; Sends Budget to Senate, House
"Two months after he returned from a medical trip to Saudi Arabia, President Umaru Yar'adua departed the country again yesterday for Saudi Arabia...
"This is Alhaji Umaru Yar'adua's fifth foreign medical trip since early 2007...
"Even though the government has never disclosed the nature of the president's ailment, Reuters reported yesterday that he is in Saudi Arabia to treat 'a chronic kidney problem.'..."
Ill Nigerian Leader Treated by Saudis
"President Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria is being treated in Saudi Arabia for a heart infection but is responding well to treatment, his spokesman said Thursday..."
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