Daud Olatunji
A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, has called for the scrapping of constituency projects allocated to lawmakers, describing them as an abuse of legislative privilege that undermines the core responsibility of the National Assembly.
Speaking during an exclusive session with journalists in Abeokuta, Showunmi decried the current structure of legislative oversight, insisting that it has eroded the independence of the legislature and reduced its effectiveness in holding the executive to account.
“We have come to the point where we must remove that nonsense from the privileges the National Assembly gets,” Showunmi declared. “Constituency projects were meant to bring lawmakers closer to their people, but the process has now been over-abused. It compromises their independence and breeds corruption through budget padding and lobbying ministries for contracts.”
According to him, the notion of lawmakers engaging in project execution — an executive function — compromises their oversight duties and fosters unhealthy alliances with government agencies.
“You’re supposed to inspect them, not to depend on them. If you need them for your own constituency projects, how do you effectively oversight them?” he queried. “It’s part of why the legislature isn’t doing as well as it should.”
He lamented the power dynamics within the National Assembly, pointing fingers at what he described as “legislative aristocracy” where some lawmakers emerge disproportionately wealthier and more influential than their colleagues, breeding resentment and further undermining democracy.
“One person comes back home with more money and becomes bigger than everyone else. This breeds unnecessary committee lobbying, ego battles, and distraction from real governance. Every futuristic nation must be asking itself: how do we end this?”
While commending the 10th National Assembly for its legislative productivity in terms of bill passage, Showunmi warned that their current dominance and alignment with the executive should be channeled toward meaningful reforms.
“They have a unique opportunity. For once, the ruling party controls the executive, the National Assembly, and most state assemblies. Even the opposition appears to be complicit. If they waste this chance, the next election might produce a hung parliament, and progress will be difficult.”
He likened the current political landscape to a “civilian dictatorship,” but one which, if well utilized, could fast-track much-needed legal and institutional reforms.
“Democracy is hard work, bogged down by procedures and debate. But with the kind of legislative dominance we have now, the National Assembly must rise above selfishness and think about the sustainability and greatness of Nigeria.”
On the growing threat of fake news and deliberate misinformation, Showunmi called for stricter regulatory actions, warning that unchecked propaganda could plunge the nation into perpetual crisis.
“I do not accept that people should have the liberty to instigate society against the government with fake news. It must come with consequences. Every right granted to the citizens must be balanced by responsibility.”
Reflecting on the failures of democratic governance compared to authoritarian regimes in delivering major infrastructural projects, he cited the speedy execution of projects like the Third Mainland Bridge and the development of Abuja under military rule as evidence.
“If democrats were the ones to build Abuja, we wouldn’t have left the drawing board. Even one coastal road today is causing unrest. Military regimes, though undemocratic, achieved more in execution because decisions were faster.”
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