Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have reacted to the crisis rocking the Nigerian Senate less than 100 days after their inauguration, stating that the Senate must not be a house boy to the executive.
According to the CSOs, the 9th Senate acted the same way the present Senate is acting which, according to them, is not good for democracy, rule of law and separation of powers.
There have been rumours of the planned impeachment of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, but the Senate has punctured such rumours.
The CSOs who spoke to NewsOnline Nigeria are Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).
Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs said politicians who are greatest beneficiaries of democracy don’t want inclusiveness in governance.
“Politicians need to be more inclusive because they are the greatest beneficiaries of democracy.
“If there is no inclusion and transparency, there will always be a crisis. And so, any leader that did not carry the people along, will create problems for himself,” Rafsanjani said.
According to him, politicians must do everything from a patriotic point of view, adding that the Senate must maintain its independence.
“It is important that the Senate President acts responsibly. He should ensure inclusivity.
“The Senate must not be an appendix of the executive. The 9th Senate experienced such. The Senate must not be a houseboy of the executive. The Senate must check the excesses of the government.
“What the previous Senate President did with Buhari is exactly what Akpabio is doing with Tinubu. Akpabio must have a more broad mind. There is a need to ensure they scrutinise whatever the president brings, they must scrutinise it. The Senate President must be responsible. They should not behave as if they don’t care about the people,” Rafsanjani added.
