Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has renewed calls for a truly independent legislature, arguing that democracy can only thrive when lawmakers are able to scrutinise and challenge decisions made by the executive arm of government.
Speaking at the June 12, 2026 edition of The Platform, organised by The Covenant Nation, Saraki said the National Assembly must exercise its constitutional responsibility rather than merely endorse executive proposals.
“So what I learned in those four years in the National Assembly is that a legislature that cannot say no is not a legislature at all. A legislature which simply receives executive proposals, approves them without scrutiny, and goes home has not fulfilled its constitutional mandate,” he said.
He warned that unchecked authority poses a significant threat to democratic governance, stressing that the framers of Nigeria’s Constitution deliberately created separate but interdependent arms of government to ensure accountability through checks and balances.
According to Saraki, disagreements between the executive and legislature should not be viewed as dysfunction but as an essential feature of democracy. He maintained that the legislature serves as a safeguard against abuse of power and provides a platform for resolving public grievances before they escalate.
Recalling his time in the National Assembly, Saraki cited an investigation into alleged fuel subsidy fraud, claiming lawmakers uncovered irregularities involving payments for vessels that were reportedly not present in Nigerian waters. He said the episode demonstrated the importance of a legislature with the capacity and independence to hold government institutions accountable.