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| L-R: TAMBUWAL AND IMAM IMAM |
*Imam is the Special Adviser on Media to Speaker Tambuwal
The Speaker’s aide argues that his boss has been successful
in his position.
Readers can please forgive the seemingly unconventional
headline to this article. I got really excited going through the statistics of
the mid-term score card House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria under the leadership of Right Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. That mid-term
milestone was achieved on June 6, 2013. For a recap, the leadership of the
House was elected on June 6, 2011 in an atmosphere that has served as a quick
reminder of the goodness of team work and promotion of democratic tenets.
Since that epic event in the National Assembly two years
ago, the general consensus of opinion is that the House under Mr. Tambuwal has
vigorously defended the ideals of democracy, freedom, and the independence of
the legislature. In fact, objective writers and pundits have continued to
express, in glowing terms, the vibrant leadership permeating the Green Chamber
at the moment.
No doubt, promoting democracy and respect for human rights
has long served as the underpinning of the House policy, and Speaker Tambuwal
has underscored the importance of these principles in words and deeds. While
many view his courageous stand on the defence of such globally-acclaimed
principles, Mr. Tambuwal does not seek primacy for a specific democratic
construct; he believes democracy is as diverse as the global community. Of
greater concern to the 7th session of the House of Representatives is that
advancing democracy has demonstrable dividends.
To both the Speaker and the House, well-governed nations
deliver safer, more just, and more prosperous lives to their citizens. And
strong democracies are more likely to secure peace, deter aggression, expand
markets, promote development, combat terrorism and crime, uphold human rights
and the rights of workers, avoid humanitarian crises, protect and improve the
global environment, and protect human health.
Two years into Mr. Tambuwal’s mandate, the House of
Representatives has continued to set historical milestones in carrying out its
constitutionally-assigned duties of representation, law-making and oversight.
The statistics churned out at the celebration to mark the two years has
surprised even the lawmakers themselves. With it all, the House of
Representatives has set the pace in legislative activities in the country and
it’s a bar the members are very anxious to exceed in the years to come.
Such anxiousness, according to Mr. Tambuwal, had led to the
raising of a total of 512 bills all of which have passed first readings;
passage of sixty 60 bills into law, and legislative work ongoing on 134 other
bills. The bills have so far undergone second reading and are at Committee stage.
Some of the bills passed include NNDC Statutory Appropriation Act; State of the
Nation Address Act; Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act; Terrorism
(Prevention) Act; Maintenance of Public Infrastructure; Banking; Employment and
labour issues; education and agriculture.
Now to the juicier part: for a House mandated to sit in a
total of 180 days in a year, it has passed a total of over seven hundred (700)
motions raised on the floor and resolutions adopted on matters of concern to
the citizens such as national disasters, communal violence, and governmental
oppression among others. What this means therefore is that every year, Mr.
Tambuwal’s House adopts an average of 350 motions in 180 days of legislative
business. That is hard work; that is true representation.
The exemplary conduct of Mr. Tambuwal as the Speaker of the
House in the last two years highlights the end of an era of
self-representation, when lawmakers took decisions that were at variance with
the wishes and aspirations of their constituents. Here and now, Mr. Tambuwal’s
House is what a parliament should be: focused, vibrant, independent and one
that gauges the pulse of the nation and works in tandem with the needs and
desire of the people.
When it comes to the House of Representatives, it is a
widely-held opinion that there is no public relations magic better than
performance. Mr. Tambuwal’s performance has set the bar in governance. His
courage and equanimity in the face of tough challenges have served as
inspiration to his colleagues in the House to go about their duties without
fear, or favour. Importantly, it has given Nigerians hope that in Mr. Tambuwal,
they have a leader who can be trusted to deliver no matter whose ox is gored.
By setting up the House Legislative Agenda in its inception,
the Green Chamber set for itself a guideline which has so far guided its
activities. Two years down the line, the return on investment has come with
appreciable successes. Such success has ensured unprecedented stability which
has in turn laid the foundation for all that has been achieved so far.
As the Speaker pointed out, the credit for the stability
goes to the members who have exhibited uncommon diligence, support,
inspiration, selflessness, passion, maturity and willingness to sacrifice
towards the promotion and preservation of the National Interest.
Another credit to Mr. Tambuwal and the House is that of
consultative representation. As part of its agenda to remain true and faithful
representatives, the House has consulted with the people of Nigeria on all critical
issues. Of particular reference is the Peoples’ Public Sessions held in the 360
federal constituencies nationwide to avail the people the opportunity to
participate in the making of their Constitution. This initiative was well
received by the people, participation was massive and contributions robust and
far reaching.
Similarly, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has undergone
public hearings at the six geo political zones and arrangements are underway to
have a central hearing in Abuja for those in the Federal Capital and all other
Nigerians and groups who were unable to take advantage of the zonal hearings.
This is apart from the series of routine public hearings on critical issues
such as Fuel Subsidy regime, Aviation, Capital Market, Non-remittance of
revenues by MDAs, Non-implementation of budget among others.
While space may not allow us to say all that Mr. Tambuwal
achieved in the last two years, it is instructive to note that the Speaker has
carefully approached the art of governance and its associated challenges with a
measure of tact, wisdom and discipline. This has no doubt won him the goodwill
of the people of Nigeria.
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