10 Problems and Challenges Facing the Nigerian Senates

The Nigerian Senates are the original Lawmakers in Nigerian democracy. The House of Representatives only lends a helping hand to the Senate’s law-making function.

Unfortunately, for Nigeria, its Lawmakers have so many problems and challenges facing them. Some of these challenges are:Information Guide Nigeria

• Unprofessionalism
• The Executive
• Failure in law-making
• Failure in the oversight function
• The problem of insecurity
• Incompetency
• inactivity
• Divided loyalty
• Constitution violation and misinterpretation
• Unfairness

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Problems of the Nigerian Senates

1. Unprofessionalism

Owing to the position of the Senates in Nigeria, they ought to be professionals who know the right thing to do in all situations. A situation where the Senates fail to submit reports to committees or consider such reports on time is unprofessional. It is proof that they are not serious about their jobs.

Think back about the case of Elisha Abbo, the senator who was caught assaulting a girl in Abuja, what else did you hear about it? Professionals are disciplined people. They do not do things that bring shame. The action of Elisha Abbo did not only bring shame to the Senates but also to the nation as a whole.Problems and Challenges Facing the Nigerian Senates

The House of Senates in Nigeria seems to be a place where Governors who have finished their tenors go to take refuge. Nigerians do not care whether these Governors are law inclined or not. I see the House of Senates as a place where professional lawyers go to exercise their legislative prowess. Those who are not professionals ought not to smell there.

2. The Executive

The Executive poses a great problem for the Senates. Oftentimes, the Senates will come up with a resolution. The Executive will refuse to execute what the Senates have resolved. This is why some Nigerians refer to the Senates as “Rubber-Stamp” Senates.

Democracy in Nigeria is still very problematic. In a true democracy, the Executive has its role and the Legislature has its role to play. In most democratic countries, the Legislature performs the role of Checks and Balances. It is there to check the Executive while the Judiciary stands for the interpretation of the law.10 Ways to Improve the National Assembly

In Nigeria, the story is different. The Executive dictates to the Legislature. How can things go in the right direction? The Executive does whatever he likes. Nobody queries it. For things to go well in Nigeria, the Legislature must stand for its right.

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3. Failure in Making Laws

The primary function of the Senates is law making. On the contrary, Nigerian Senates are not lawmakers. There are many laws for the Senates to make for the improvement of democracy in Nigeria, which they have failed to make. It is for this reason that Nigerian democracy cannot improve.BBN Channel on DSTV – What Channel is BBN on GOTV

4. Failure in Oversight

One problem facing the Senates is a failure in oversight. Oversight is one of the primary responsibilities of the Senates. They are to oversee all things happening in the country. They are to oversee all that the Federal Government does. In this responsibility, the Senates have failed woefully.

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5. The Problem of Insecurity

Insecurity is another challenge facing the Senates. The Senates have failed to address the issue of insecurity in Nigeria. Nigeria has lived under insecurity for years now under our Senates. As lawmakers, they ought to have made laws that can tackle insecurity in Nigeria. The issue of insecurity is one thing that proves the inactivity of the Senates. They go to the chamber day-in-day-out doing nothing about the security situation in the country they are elected to serve.

One thing that Nigerians should look into is whether Nigeria can exist without the House of Assembly, especially the House of Representatives. Nigeria continues to waste money on two huge Houses that do not bring any benefit. As for that, the Senates and their counterparts cannot check the Presidency. What then is their use? Why not just run the country with only the Presidency since what it says is what the Houses do?

6. Incompetency

Things happening in the country and around the Senates prove that the Senates are incompetent. They cannot act. They are mere onlookers.

Nigeria seems to get worse daily under their nose. They watch things go wrong without doing anything. The price of commodities continues to rise on daily basis without any intervention from the Senates. People die like chickens. Nobody seems to care about them.

Everything happening around us proves the fact that our Senates are incompetent. Were they competent, Nigeria cannot remain in shambles.

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7. Inactivity

Inactivity is one other problem that is facing the Senates. They are not active. So many areas demand the action of the Senates. For instance, banditry in Nigeria demands their action. Insecurity also demands their action. Many things that happen in the Presidency demand their action. Yet, they remain inactive.Npower Recruitment

8. Divided Loyalty

Nigerians elected the Senates to serve them. On the contrary, many of the Senates serve the Presidency instead of those who elected them. At times, they act as if they are loyal to those who elected them. At other times, they dance to the tune of the Presidency.

The reason Nigerians elected them is to check the Presidency. They are to make sure that the Presidency does what will benefit them. Where the President fails, they stand in the best position to impeach him and bring in who will serve them better.JAMB Form

On the contrary, the Senates continue to allow the Presidency to do whatever it likes. With the support of the Senates, nothing goes well in the country. Common groundnut no longer sells for ten naira. Twenty-naira worth of groundnut is five seeds. What a shame!

9. Constitution Violation and Misinterpretation

The Senates are facing the problem of violating the constitution. Worse still, they misinterpret the constitution. The Senates ought to have known that the interpretation of the constitution is not within their power. Where they want the proper interpretation of the constitution, they have to bring in the Supreme Court Chief Justice. They go wrong because they misinterpret the constitution.WAEC Result

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10. Unfairness

The last problem we want to address in this article is unfairness. The Senates are not fair to Nigerians. While they claim billions of naira yearly, they leave other Nigerians unemployed. The universities turn out graduates every year without any employment waiting for them.

One of the causes of banditry in Nigeria is unemployment. A hungry man has always been an angry man. Hunger is a drive that must be satisfied. The Senates have made many Nigerian youths to be angry persons due to their unfairness.JAMB Result

Conclusion

The Senates are faced with many problems. These problems have made them unable to serve in the capacity that Nigerians gave them.

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