Legislative Immunity, Buhari and the Kids in the Parliament, By William Aborisade

When the overpampered kids, inside the national assembly booed Mr President as he presented the national budget for the year 2019, little, I suppose, did they know how the people view them, nor, even, their reckoning in the scheme of the citizens. Apart from being a creation of our constitution, that assembly, because of the sordid and most uncivilized behaviours of some of its members, has become an avoidable source of distractions, if/when serious issues, about the polity, are being discussed. People, now, see that assembly as a mere drain pipe and thus, a liability on the nation.

The irresponsive and irresponsible governance, over the years, that has made our country the most dangerous human habitat, harbouring the most miserable humans, on the surface of earth, is nothing but a consequence self-centeredness, greed, irresponsible behaviours and utter failure of these things we call legislators to live to its constitutional expectations. The check-and-balance that the body is supposed to provide has, long derailed because the members aren’t there for the right purpose, as expected of the constitution.

How, for example, do we explain the fact that our legislators are the most highly paid, at between N13.5 million and N36 million, even as our citizens are the poorest, in the world, with a minimum wage at N18,000, all per month? How do these add up? And what do the rascals want to achieve by booing Mr President, thus disgracing us, all, in the eyes of the entire world, who watch the most shameful act? First is that, at any time, at all, Nigerians would choose anything, I mean just anything, over and above these things, branding as legislators. Senator Ameh Ebute’s disclosure of the refusal of the president to allow budget-padding, as the driver of those boos, though not surprising, worsens the situation of these fellows. Yes, this government seems to have performed, far too slowly and below expectations, all can witness the fact that this isn’t without understandable reasons. Recent discoveries in the judiciary has shown that our justice system is far from being about jusice and, in fact, part of the huge rot that our nation has become. Is it our high expectations, motivated by our long sufferings due to insensitive and anti-people governance mode characterizing the post-military era, dominated by crooks and ragamuffins? What do Nigerians see for the billions that go for constituency allowances, given to these things booing Mr President? What did they do to the billions which go down the drain, in the name of security votes to political office holders, in a nation in which the fear of kidnappers and assassins remain the beginning of wisdom? What of the poor state of our hospitals which drive this nonsense they call medical tourism?

If those shameless fellows thought they could whip up sentiments against anyone, including this president, they have better, have a rethink-Nigerians would prefer filth to them, as they are considered worthless. This administration’s position and actions on corruption endears it to the populace despite its noticeable shortcomings-all we are saying, largely, is that we want more of action, in this regard. This is because, we, all, now know that corruption, nothing else keeps our country down despite the abundance of material and intellectual endowments. It’s the reason our youths constitute a large percentage of people being referred to as immigrants or aliens. For some urchins to think they can take advantage of these shortcomings is naivety taken too far.

I am a strong advocate of the concept of freedom of speech, it is a requirement for successful democracy.  However, I believe legislative immunity should not be misconstrued to be a license to behave like a thugs and gangsters, an, otherwise, sacred chamber of our democracy-the parliament. The Parliament is a place in which serious decisions about governance are taken, it should, therefore, not harbour unserious minds, thugs, political warlords and political foot soldiers. As a deterrent, those who booed Mr President should be identified, made to sign undertakings to be of good behaviour or suspended for behaving irresponsibly and, also, reported to their constituents.

The consolation I have is in the speech made by Senator Adeyeye, as he interviewed with Seun Okinbaloye of the Channel TV, in which he suggested a pruning down, of the cost of governance-by which I suppose he meant, cutting down on the outrageous salaries and allowances of political office holders. Nigerians have long been advocating the introduction of part-time parliamentarian job.