Chukwudi Enekwechi
With the just concluded election of the principal officers of the National Assembly, especially the seamless emergence of principal officers, one noticeable aspect of the election is the total absence of Ghana-must-go bags, which symbolised corruption, and which had characterised previous elections since 1999. In the past, the Senate and the entire National Assembly were bedeviled with less than transparent processes.
Similarly in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s adherence to rule of law, due process and transparency, Nigerians witnessed an election that was not opaque or shrouded in secrecy. Indeed, the electoral process was not only open and transparent, but acceptable to the contenders and even the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They understood that the electoral process was bereft of any manipulation and gave every candidate the opportunity to test the waters by contesting.
Furthermore, the transparent process has reassured Nigerians that the ninth Senate will be less rancorous, and will use their tenure to address the myriad of problems confronting the country. For example, the incessant delays in passing the national budget or confirming nominees of the executive will be a thing of the past.
In this light, Nigerians look forward to a Senate that will endeavour to work together with the other arms of government to serve the interest of the generality of Nigerians.
The issue of insecurity, which is presently ravaging some parts of the country will attract the attention of the ninth Senate, and their synergy with the executive arm as represented by the president will go a long way to curb the menace of kidnappers, Boko Haram terrorists, bandits and armed robbers.
Again, the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the dialogue and conversation leading to the emergence of the National Assembly leadership obviously paved the way for the peaceful conduct of the election for the Senate leadership.
For the first time, we witnessed a National Assembly leadership election that was rancour-free, free and fair and generally acceptable to all stakeholders.
This positive trend has the potential to expedite action on the delivery of the campaign promises as encapsulated especially in the areas of infrastructural development across the country, fight against corruption and tackling insecurity wherever they exist.
It must be stated that a country beset with the several challenges including unemployment will require a duly constituted parliament ready to cooperate with the president towards making the country safe, providing jobs for our teeming youths and creating the enabling environment for local and foreign investors through the enactment of relevant laws.
There is no gainsaying that President Muhammadu Buhari’s inclination towards allowing institutions to function on their own is instrumental to the successful conduct of the National Assembly leadership elections, especially the Senate. The ninth Senate will now focus on delivering on their mandate without the usual distractions associated with a parliament bent on serving percuniary interests.
The ninth Senate and the National Assembly generally must buckle up hit the ground running as they endeavour to meet the goals and aspirations of all Nigerians. History beckons on them to immediately go to work as the challenges facing us as a country are not only daunting, but overwhelming.
They must key into the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to improve the lives of Nigerians on all fronts and be alive to their responsibilities, bearing in mind the urgency of the our precarious situation.
Granted that President Muhammadu Buhari is laying the foundation for the development and growth of the country, there will be need for the parliament to lend a helping hand by not posing as an obstacle to his vision and eliminating unnecessary bottlenecks that tend to hinder the realisation of the president’s vision.
Notwithstanding the adherence to the principles of separation of powers, the three arms of government, especially the executive and legislature must seek ways to complement each other with the aim of serving the interests of the generality of the people, rather than other narrow interests. The principle of separation of powers should not be used as cog in the progress of the country, but to advance the progress and rapid development of Nigeria.
In conclusion, as Nigerians celebrate another era of democratic governance led by President Muhammadu Buhari, it is imperative that all hands are on deck to work for revitalisation of our dilapidated infrastructure, improvement of the welfare of Nigerians and holistic development of all parts of the country in this dispensation.
•Enekwechi, an Abuja-based journalist, is a member of Buhari Media Organisation