Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has weighed in on the national debate around the functionality of Nigeria’s legislature and the contentious issue of immunity for elected public officers, stating that while the job of a legislator is demanding and should ideally be full-time, politicians must not see public office as their sole source of livelihood.
Speaking during a panel session at the June 12 edition of The Platform Africa, an event commemorating Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Soludo shared insights drawn from his time in governance and his current experience as a state executive.
On the question of whether the legislature should operate on a part-time basis, the governor stressed the importance of having an effective and active legislature that takes its constitutional roles of lawmaking, oversight, and representation seriously.
READ ALSO: Soludo slams Nigeria’s politics as battle of selfish elites, not ideas
“Now, the issue of part-time legislature is simply an admission of the seriousness of the legislature. Because if the legislature does its job—of legislation, of oversight and representation—if it’s very effective at this, that is a whole lot,” Soludo noted. “In my state, they meet literally Monday through Friday, because we have dozens of executive bills. They are very busy working on their own.”
He contrasted this with the national legislature, which typically convenes only a few days each week, suggesting that if lawmakers were fully engaged with the responsibilities of their office, there would be little room for a part-time approach.
Soludo also drew from his time serving under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, revealing a guiding principle Obasanjo instilled in his appointees: the importance of having a “second address.”
“Every time he [Obasanjo] used to say, each one of you must have a second address. Everybody in government must have a second address,” Soludo recalled. “The person he spent the longest time on the phone with every day was his farm manager.”
He went on to describe a personal experience visiting the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, who was so involved in his farm business that he could identify individual livestock that were unwell. “He knew which one was sick, as president of Nigeria,” Soludo said with a note of admiration, reinforcing the idea that public office holders must not become completely dependent on political office for survival.
Reflecting on his own experience, Soludo revealed the surprise and discomfort he faced when shown his gubernatorial salary after winning the election.
“When they came to me for my [house] number… I said, what is the salary? And they showed it to me and said, no, it won’t be on,” he said, implying that the salary was too meager to justify relying solely on politics for income.
On the issue of immunity for governors, Soludo appeared to take a middle-ground stance, stating that while he personally has “nothing to fear,” removing immunity could hinder the ability of public officials to focus on governance due to incessant litigations.
“Personally, for me, I would say, please, remove it like yesterday. Because we have nothing to fear. However, the other side is that there is a cost to it,” he explained. “You say something to somebody, they sue you. You enforce right of way, and they sue you. Before long, you’re hiring lawyers to answer 500 cases in your personal capacity.”
He expressed concern that the absence of immunity could make governors targets of frivolous lawsuits, effectively turning them into full-time defendants and detracting from their executive responsibilities.
“I’m not quite sure how that is going to work and how you are going to do the job as governor,” he said. “But if anybody commits a crime, prosecute them for a crime… But while you are on the job, please get the job done.”
Governor Soludo’s remarks have added a nuanced layer to ongoing discussions about political reforms in Nigeria.
While many have advocated for a part-time legislature as a cost-saving measure, Soludo argues that true legislative efficiency requires full engagement. Likewise, his perspective on immunity underscores the need to balance accountability with the practicalities of governance.
His message was clear: politicians should not enter public office as a career path or meal ticket, but rather as a platform to serve, anchored by independent livelihoods and personal integrity.
“If you are looking for this [office] as a source of livelihood, it’s going to be very, very tough. Extremely,” Soludo concluded.
