Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu has cautioned that any move to reduce the National Assembly to a part-time institution would undermine Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Adaramodu argued that a functional, full-time parliament is essential to the survival of any democracy. “If the parliament operates on a part-time basis, then democracy itself is on part-time,” he warned. “No democracy can flourish while sidelining its legislature.”
The lawmaker, who represents Ekiti South Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC), maintained that budget cuts should not affect legislative operations, stressing the critical role lawmakers play in governance.
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He noted that beyond lawmaking and oversight, the 109 senators and 360 House of Representatives members carry the burden of representing and addressing the needs of their constituents across the country.
He said, “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.”
