The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, issued a stern warning to Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, emphasizing that non-compliance with the nation’s laws and resolutions passed by the National Assembly would no longer be tolerated.
He assured Nigerians that the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance would be diligent in ensuring that both the legislative and executive branches of government set an example in adhering to the rule of law.
Akpabio made these statements on Tuesday during the opening of a two-day national workshop organized by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance.
He was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, and stressed that the 10th National Assembly is committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s interests as stipulated in the country’s existing laws.
He said, “The mood of the current Senate is that non-compliance with our enactments and legally made decisions will not be tolerated because to tolerate that is a way of allowing for threat to the foundation of our democracy. We call on MDAs to at all times, fully abide by legally made decisions of the Senate and also the enactments made by the National Assembly.
“The Senate Committee on Compliance will ensure that the executive arm of government executes its policies and programmes by the laws and resolutions of the legislative arm of government. Such compliance is necessary for the deepening of our democracy and instilling the checks and balances in our system.
“Let the various stakeholders in this Committee agree on the implications for non-compliance of legislative enactments and resolutions.
“I believe that this workshop will be the turning point in the relationship between the executive arm of government and the senate and I also believe that members of the public will appreciate more the dynamics of law-making and see the need for laws to be respected for us to have a decent society and breathe the air of democracy.”
The theme of the workshop is “The imperative of legislative compliance in deepening democracy and enhancing good governance.”
Welcoming participants to the event, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, Musa Maidoki, said the 10th National Assembly has resolved not to accept non-compliance to laws and resolutions in the nation’s political and governance system.
“If there are gaps in our laws and resolutions, they should be pointed out to us so that the right thing will be done,” he said.
In his brief remarks, Senate Majority Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi, lamented what he called flagrant disobedience of legislative compliance, stressing that such is not acceptable in a constitutional democracy.
In his goodwill message, a member of the 8th Senate, Ayogu Eze, called on the committee to begin the campaign for obedience to the nation’s laws by showing leadership by example.
“You are the ombudsman not only of the National Assembly but also of Nigeria. Everything is not going well in this country today because there is no compliance with the laws. Everybody does what he or she likes because there are no consequences,” he said.
He further charged the committee chairman to feel free to weed out some members who fail to work with the speed required of the panel.
“If those working with you are not up to speed, rejig the membership,” he told Maidoki.
Also speaking, former Minister of Women Affairs, Josephine Anenih, urged the Committee to take its assignment seriously and pleaded that three women be added to bring the membership to 21, down from 18.
