Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu has warned that Nigeria’s democracy would be jeopardized if lawmakers transit from full-time to part-time.
He said this on Friday when he featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, just as mphasised that a part-time parliament would undermine the country’s democratic system.
According to him, “If the parliament is on part-time, then it means democracy is on part-time. There is no democracy that derides its parliament and thrives.”
Adaramodu argued that a part-time parliament would mean democracy is on part-time, questioning the effectiveness of such a system.
He further said the parliament’s role in lawmaking, oversight, and advocating for constituents, highlighting the importance of a full-time legislature.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Ekiti South Senatorial District said beyond law-making and oversight functions on the executive, the 109 Senators in the Senate and the 360 members of the House of Representatives shoulder the responsibilities of their constituents.
Adaramodu noted that constituents have access to lawmakers, who provide support and assistance in various areas, including naming ceremonies and house building.
“The Nigerian parliament is not only for lawmaking; we do oversight function. We advocate for our constituents.
“It will just be bewildering that even out of the three arms of government that we have in Nigeria, it is only the parliament and parliamentarians that our people have access to. Like me and others.
“We go home almost every time and we are the ones when they give birth to a new baby, they ask for naming ceremony funds. When they are building a new house, it is from us they ask for assistance.
“So, if the parliament was not there, who do you expect that our constituents would run to? The parliament is not just to sit down at the plenary and make laws alone. And when we make laws, we follow it up, ” he said.
He also said full-time lawmakers were better equipped to handle their responsibilities, including lawmaking, oversight, and constituent support.
Adaramodu opposed reducing the money paid to lawmakers, questioning whether part-time legislators would receive the same funding.
The Senate spokesman said the National Assembly is the soft target of every critic but vehemently opposed the reduction of the money paid to lawmakers.
“If we are on part-time, can’t the same amount of money be paid to part-time legislators?”
“We are in Abuja, is it the National Assembly that is giving us housing? Is it the National Assembly that is employing domestic staff for us? We are here on our own.
“We don’t get allowances for drivers. The allowances we get from housing are always deducted from our salaries. They give it once in four years and they deduct it every month, ” he said.
He also said the official vehicles lawmakers get weren’t registered in their names and weren’t for them. He, however, did not clarify whether lawmakers inherit the vehicles after their tenure.
