10th Assembly More Rubber Stamp Than Any – Kwankwaso
By Emmanuel Abi Couson
The National Chairman of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has knocked the National Assembly following its support for President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
Taking to his official X handle, Kwankwaso described the 10th National Assembly as the more rubber stamp than any.
On his position titled ‘My stance on the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State,’ the former Minister of Defence pointed out that it is “appalling to see this 10th Assembly become more rubberstamp than any of its predecessors.”
According to him, the legislature has the responsibility to hold the executive responsible and not always play to its tune.He noted that, more disturbing is the unilateral decision by both chambers of the National Assembly to ratify the president’s proclamation.
“I had hoped that the legislators would not add salt to injury by passing this illegality. The Constitution is clear on the method of voting on issues of such importance, and the decision to use the voice vote in deciding this is not consistent with the proper procedures and transparency,” he said.
The former Governor of Kano State also stressed that the decision by the legislators to speedily discuss and decide on a state of emergency that alters the democratic leadership structure in Rivers State undermines the country’s democracy.
“Reflecting on our journey in 1992/93 and the events leading to the annulment in 1993, I remember our mistakes as parliamentarians in the National Assembly, where we focused on leadership tussle instead of holding our primary legislative work. Our failure to hold our responsibility distracted us from the happening that brewed on the Executive side, and which led to the sad events that still define our political history,” Kwankwaso averred.
