There comes a time when leaders have to do some form of stock-taking.
There is also time for those who are led to acknowledge and appreciate
the good and exemplary works of their leaders. For the President of the
Senate of Nigeria, Chief David Mark and his dutiful deputy, Chief Ike
Ekweremadu, this is the time to assess their leadership, give them the
necessary and inspiring part on the back and allow them to finish the
good work they have started.At no time in the history of Nigeria’s
constitutionalism and democratic republicanism has the Country been so
blessed with pre-active and dedicated leaders as now in the apex
legislative body, the Senate.
The senate is the apex of
what may be described as the legislative pyramid in Nigeria. It sits
atop all the legislative organs of Government in Nigeria. Naturally, the
senate is the boding legislative organ in the country. The Senate is
expected to serve as a leading and a beacon of sorts to other
legislatures. In most advance democracies, Senators are statesmen with a
track-record of achievements and services to their people. By reason of
their position, they exert tremendous influence on Government policies
and enact laws which promote the general welfare and well-being of their
people.
It can be safely stated that the Senate under
the distinguished and able leadership of Chief Mark and Chief Ekeremadu
has lived up to expectation. The President and Deputy President of the
Senate have given the Nigerian Senate a distinctive and mature
leadership in the last four years. In the period under review, that is
from 2007 to 2011, the Nigerian Senate has assumed its rightful place as
a bastion of democracy in the country. The Senate has indeed been a
distinguished body of statesmen who are known to have played significant
roles promoting peace Unity and well-being of Nigerians.
Previously,
the Senate leadership was nothing to write home about. During the years
of Obasnjo’s Presidency, the Senate produced at least five Senate
Presidents. All the Presidents of the Senate were impeached except two.
There was a strange relationship between a Senate President and banana
peels. Intrigues, infighting, back-biting, acrimony, recrimination and
selfishness characterized the Presidency of the Senate. Many Senate
Presidents were disgraced out of office. Whilst other legislative bodies
were enjoying relative stability in their leadership, the Senate became
an exception and an aberration with its leaders tumbling down from
their Olympian heights no sooner than they assumed office. There were
allegation of bags of money being shared in the Senate to facilitate the
removal or impeachment of its leaders.
Thankfully, those
bad old days are gone. The Senate is now calm, working and functional.
The Senate has enjoyed a rather stable and result oriented leadership
under Senators Mark and Ekweremadu. Indeed, the Senate has never had it
so good since the inception of constitutional democracy in 1999.
Senators Mark and Ekweremadu have successfully given the Senate a
distinctive feature of character, integrity, forbearance and
seriousness. The Senate leadership has carried all the Senators along
and they have enjoyed the loyalty, respect and admiration of
distinguished Senators. The duo of Mark and Ekweremadu have steered the
affairs of the Senate with dexterity. There have been no bickering about
the composition of committees and their chairmen.
All the
geo-graphical zones have been fully represented in all the committees.
Beside, the creed of geographical spread, without sacrificing the
merits, guiding the appointment of Chairmen of Senate Committees. The
Senate leadership has restrained itself from any muscle-flexing and
tussle for power with the executive. In the past, the enormous
impression was created that the more combatant and aggressive the
legislature was in its relationship with the executive, the more
functional and proactive that legislature is the present leadership of
the Senate has by its charismatic and positive leadership and governance
taken this theory to the cleaners, the lesson is that the legislature
is only but a partner in the business of government with the executive.
The
legislature need not put on boxing gloves, in combat with the executive
to show that it is not a rubberstamp. Senators David Mark and Ike
Ekweremadu, have by shear wisdom, intelligence and savvy impacted
positively on governance in the country. They have in-fact made
invaluable contributions towards the task of moving our dear country
forward.The Senate has performed creditably and meritoriously under Mark
and Ekweremadu. The quality of debates has been unassailable and
unprecedented in the history of this country, laws which will help in
the speedy growth and development of the country and promote the welfare
of Nigerians have been passed by the Senate.
The Senate
has ably discharged it, duties as the number one legislature in the
land. Mention must be made of the solid decisions in the Senate during
the last and terminal days of the Yar’Adua Administration. The Senate
intervened to save the country from constitutional and political crisis
by formulating the doctrine of necessity and enthroning President
Goodluck Jonathan as the acting President of the country. This decision
was a middle course between those calling for the outright impeachment
of late President Yar’Adua on grounds of physical incapacity and those
who wanted the retention of the status quo – that is keeping the whole
country fussing with no one at the helm of affairs. The salutary effect
of this decision by the senate on the unity and stability of the country
was unquantifiable as the nation was then tottering and heading
dangerously for the precipice.
The Senate under Chief
David Mark and Chief Ike Ekweremadu has lived up to its billing as the
numero uno in the legislative business in the country. Senators have
powers themselves to be statesmen and responsible Nigerians. While their
colleagues in the lower house regularly bicker over allowances and
salaries, the senate leadership has ensured that such dirty skeletons
are not found in its cupboard. There have been no instances of senators
turning themselves into punching bags on the floor of the senate and
removing their cloths in full public glare and under television lights.
We have not seen Senators heading to the Senate President table to take
the mace. We have not witnessed intemperate debates, name-calling and
tension in the senate.
We have not seen the Senate
leadership withholding salaries and allowances of their colleagues
because they took the legitimate and constitutional step of challenging
the actions of the leaders in court. Senators Mark and Ekweremadu have
not displayed any arrogance in their leadership. They appreciate the
fact that they are Senators first and foremost and that they are equal
to their colleagues. The Senate used to have some haughty and arrogant
leaders who talked down on their colleagues in the past. The present
leadership represent a radical departure from this arrogance spree.
For
having given the Senate it’s rightful place as the number one
legislative chamber in the country, for uplifting and consolidating the
image, integrity of the Senate and for ensuring effective partnership
between the Senate and other arms of government. The duo of Chief David
Mark and Chief Ike Ekweremadu should be allowed to continue the good
work they are doing for the unity and cooperate existence of our dear
country Nigeria.
In an affirmative term there is no need changing a winning team
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