The National Assembly has once again come under attack for lack of vision, parochial interest, bootlicking and abandoning their responsibilities to Nigerians. In particular, the NASS leadership has been slammed for being a lame duck, directionless, empty and irrelevant. “The only language they know is to do budget defence, probe agencies, summon heads of parastatals, employment racketeering and contract awards!” announced Chief Jide Olaniyi, President of the Watchdog for Anti-corruption (WAC), Abuja Chapter. The president in a statement expressed worry that members of NASS are least perturbed about the spate of kidnapping and insecurity in the land. “How could they be sitting when the nation is on breaking point?” yelled Chief Olaniyi. “We expected the national Assembly to hold special public sitting to discover the root cause of rising insecurity in the land; they are supposed to be worried, but they are not”, explained Chief Olaniyi. “As members of the Legislative arm of government, they are supposed to summon security chiefs and all those involved in the security circles to demand more from them; but you can see they are all playing ostrich”, he stated. Many groups have in the past called for the scrapping of the Red and Green Chambers calling them “drain pipes” in the economy. The coalition especially took a swipe against the leadership of this 9th Assembly for being willing tools in the hands of the Executive. “There is something strange about the way we play our politics; here, individuals are more powerful that relevant Institutions and that’s dangerous”, Chief Olaniyi volunteered. “If the National Assembly cannot justify their huge allowances because of their narrow interest, then they have to throw in the towel”, he added. But knowing the reputation Of Nigerian officials, this angle would have been possible. “The members are there for themselves and their families; they are simply taking the nation for a ride”, Chief Olaniyi again disclosed. Besides budget defence, conducting oversight function and threatening to sanction erring heads of agencies and commission, members of the National Assembly are completely absent in other crucial areas of expectancy. The Acts they churn out has nothing to do with the social advancement of Nigerians. “Now the new generation of Nigerians have nothing to look up to except huge debt occasioned by reckless borrowing. “No one has an idea what the debts are used for; neither monies recovered from politicians and their cronies. “We just hear seized house has been sold, debts recovered with no proper records. “Infact, as shown in the Ibrahim Magu case, many of the seized assets have been wasted through the backdoor”, said Chief Olaniyi. How sad it is that appointed or elected officials take Nigeria for a ride simply because they can escape justice. “That’s why there is no plan for the youths, the aged or anybody for that matter and now insecurity” concluded Chief Olaniyi.
