AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF NIGERIAN LEGISLATURE IN DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION
Oludayo Olaniyi Fashola, PhD
Volume 13 Issue 2
Abstract
This study examined the role of Nigerian legislature in democratic consolidation. The objective of the paper is to appraise the Nigeria national assembly and the role played to ensure Nigeria democratic consolidation process. However, it determines the roles played by the legislature in performing its oversight functions in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, from 1999 to 2023. Secondly, also demonstrates how this function and its legislative processes has helped in democratic consolidation. The paper also adopted the qualitative method of data collection. The data were collected from existing literature and thematically, analyzed in themes. The study established a direct and positive relationship between the role of Nigerian legislature in a democratic consolidation and stabilization in Nigeria. The role of Nigerian legislature in democratic consolidation cannot be overemphasized, because National Assembly revealed some salient issues which include the quality of the bills being passed, the enduring nature of democratic institutions built, and questions on good governance. Others are containing executive excesses, and the need for the stakeholders to also check on the legislature as they carry out their law-making duty at the National Assembly. However, ineffective pursuit of institutional building and the enhancement of democratic structures have negatively affected efforts at democratic stabilization within the ambit of the National Assembly. Some challenges militating against legislative stabilization on national development within the National Assembly were also identified and recorded in the main narrative. The study recommended that national assembly should pursue institutional building and enhancement of the existing ones as well as the sanctity/independence of the National Assembly in order to achieve a robust public policy for the Nigerian State and also the legislature should be financially autonomous and otherwise. Moreover, the degree of separation of powers should be improved and both the legislature and its staff should be trained frequently. Similarly, the paper concludes that there is need for the research improvement in the Nigerian National Assembly. Keywords: Democratic Consolidation, Fourth Republic, Legislature, National Assembly, Democracy
Download Paper