27/02/2025
Anything Goes: Why We Must Demand Quality Representation in Nigeria’s Legislature
Nigeria’s legislature has increasingly become a stage where anything goes. From senators engaging in ego battles to representatives who appear to have no grasp of governance, the quality of leadership in the country is declining rapidly. The House of Representatives, in particular, is now filled with individuals who neither inspire confidence nor display the intelligence required for the job.
Take, for example, Hon. Abass Adigun, representing Ibadan South-East/North-East. His recent public appearances have not only embarrassed his constituents but also made a mockery of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the platform that brought him to power. The man is clearly unprepared for legislative duties, yet he occupies a seat meant for a serious-minded representative. Instead of pushing for policies that will improve the lives of his people, he has become a viral sensation for all the wrong reasons, a recurring subject of ridicule on social media.
But let’s ask ourselves; who is to blame? Is it just the lawmaker, or is it the people who voted him in? The truth is, many Nigerians continue to make poor electoral choices, prioritizing monetary handouts and personal favors over competence and integrity. The result? We end up with individuals who have no business making laws, let alone debating national issues on behalf of millions.
The Assembly has its own problems, and at this point, we’re not even sure what the outcome will be, an unending roforofo over leadership. The Speakership is now looking like autocratic. Though due process was followed in his impeachment, the Speaker who seems favoured by powers higher than the power of the majority who impeached him, is bent on returning through any means. Will Lagos self combust? That's the question on everyone's lip as it seems, 'the more you look, the less you see.
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