On Wednesday, November 29, when President Bola Tinubu
appeared before the joint session of the National Assembly to present the 2024
budget, Nigerians watched in utter amazement as the lawmakers rendered an
allegiance song to the President.
Their action is generating diverse reactions, with many
lamenting that it was only aimed at impressing and massaging the ego of
President Tinubu, a development that has been described as the height of
sycophancy on the part of the lawmakers
Tinubu met with the joint session of the Senate and House of
Representatives, in company with his vice president, Kashim Shettima; Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Chief of Staff to
the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; and other top government officials, to
present the 2024 budget.
But, Nigerians were taken aback when the lawmakers, rather
than concentrate on the important business of the day, turned the whole
exercise to what some people have referred to as comic relief of a sort.
Soon after the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, finished
presenting his speech, and said: “Distinguished colleagues, at this point, let
us welcome the president; a man with track records and an alumnus of the
National Assembly, to present his budget estimate,” members of the Red and
Green legislative chambers relapsed into a singing mode.
They all stood up, sang and chorused: “On your mandate we
shall stand; on your mandate we shall stand; on your mandate Bola, on your
mandate Bola, on your mandate, we shall stand,” to the amazement and
consternation of many, but also to the admiration of Mr. President and his
supporters.
The president’s gladness over the development was
immediately made known when he thanked Akpabio for his outstanding speech and
admitted that he felt at home receiving the applause and praises.
Prior to the orchestra, the Senate President had, in a
manner many have also described as an attempt to trivialise the serious
business of the day, made reference to the fact that in 24 years of democracy,
Nigeria was able to achieve what the United States of America, with its 247
years of democracy achieved in 185 years.
Expounding the puzzle, he noted that it was in the 185th
year of democratic practice in America that the country was able to produce two
former senators as president and vice president, in the persons of John F
Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, a feat Nigeria achieved in 24 years of its
democratic experience by producing two former senators, Tinubu and Shettima as
president and vice president, respectively.
This analogy, many argued, was not necessary, considering
the fact that Nigeria’s brand of democracy cannot be found anywhere in the
world.
Those who hold this view stressed that by that analogy,
Akpabio only embarked on a fruitless voyage of entertainment, because American
democracy cannot, by any stretch of imagination, be compared with what obtains
in Nigeria as democracy.
However, after the euphoria and drama that greeted the
announcement of the presence of President Tinubu and his team, the president
mounted the podium to present the budget he christened, “Budget of Renewed
Hope.”
The President promised that the budget would ensure
micro-economic stability, poverty reduction, and greater access to social
security, among others. He went ahead to highlight the priority areas to
include security, local job creation, macro-economic stability, investment environment
optimization, human capital development, poverty reduction, and social
security.
He equally announced plans for a comprehensive overhaul of
the internal security architecture, stressing that the objective is to
strengthen law enforcement capabilities, fostering the protection of lives,
property, and investments across the country. He also noted that the proposed
budget places significant importance on human capital development, with a
specific emphasis on school children.
“We expect the economy to grow by a minimum of 3.76 percent,
above the forecasted world average. Inflation is expected to moderate at 21.4
percent in 2024. In preparing the 2024 budget, our primary objective has been
to sustain our robust foundation for sustainable economic development. A
critical focus of this budget and the medium-term expenditure framework is
Nigeria’s commitment to a greener future.
“Emphasising public-private partnerships, we have
strategically made provisions to leverage private capital for big-ticket infrastructure
projects in energy, transportation, and other sectors. This marks a critical
step towards diversifying our energy mix, enhancing efficiency, and fostering
the development of renewable energy sources.
“By allocating resources to support innovative and
environmentally conscious initiatives, we aim to position Nigeria as a regional
leader in the global movement towards clean and sustainable energy.
“As we approach the COP28 climate summit, a pivotal moment
for global climate action, I have directed relevant government agencies to
diligently work towards securing substantial funding commitments that will
bolster Nigeria’s energy transition.
“We must seize this opportunity to attract international
partnerships and investments that align with our national goals. I call upon
our representatives to engage proactively to showcase the strides we have made
in the quest to create an enabling environment for sustainable energy projects.
“Together, we will strive for Nigeria to emerge from COP28
with tangible commitments, reinforcing our dedication to a future, where energy
is not only a catalyst for development, but also, a driver of environmental
stewardship,” he said.
However, as robust as the budget appears, Nigerians seem to
have focused on the attitude of the lawmakers rather than on critical sectoral
analysis of the budget.
The parliamentary orchestra overshadowed the budget
presentation such that Nigerians have continued to talk about it instead of the
budget.
Some people have argued that Akpabio is creating a strange
development in the upper legislative chamber, and that his sycophancy is beyond
the ordinary.
Those pushing this narrative are saying that the leadership
of the Ninth Assembly led by Ahmed Lawan would be livid with envy watching what
Akpabio and his group are doing.
One of those with this view is a public administrator, Mr.
Innocent Mamah, who noted that when it comes to sycophancy, Akpabio is in a
world of his own.
“When you talk about rubber-stampism, give it to Akpabio.
Nobody can go into that contest with him.
“The National Assembly under his leadership is a complete
lap dog; it has abandoned its watchdog role a long time ago. What happened on
the floor of the national assembly on November 29 is a national embarrassment.
“For goodness’ sake, the song was not necessary. It was
uncalled for because in the first instance, the programme wasn’t a party
affair; it was a national assignment, budget presentation.
“The National Assembly under Akpabio, with all due respect,
has become an extension of the executive arm of government.
“He dances to the whims and caprices of the presidency. I am
sure that by the time he is done with his plans, Nigerians will no longer
understand the national assembly,” he said
Much as the criticisms keep pouring in, there are those who
said that Akpabio was only building on what he inherited from his predecessors
in the Ninth Assembly.
Leading this line of argument is a Lagos-based legal
practitioner, Romanus Okoye, who made reference to a similar thing during
former President Muhammadu’s Buhari’s first tenure.
He disclosed that, “Similar thing happened when Buhari went
to present a budget before the National Assembly in his first tenure.
“All the lawmakers stood up and raised the four fingers of
their two hands amidst cheers and chants of four plus four. That was a subtle
message to Nigerians that Buhari would go for a second term of four years.
“And that was during Buhari’s first budget presentation. It
didn’t matter to them that Nigerians were passing through excruciating economic
pains; they just wanted to impress him and massage his ego to be in his good
books.
“That is just exactly the same thing that has happened. The
lawmakers just wanted to be in Tinubu’s good books. But, it is a shame that the
hallowed chamber of the national assembly has been so desecrated to a level
where lawmakers behave like touts.”
Again, there are those who would want to believe that not
all the lawmakers joined to chorus the song, as some maintained studied
silence.
This was clearly demonstrated from the mien of many of the
lawmakers, majority of whom are from the opposition. They wore very long faces
as the song rented the air.
However, the fact remains that the voices of those who
abstained were not heard.
They were beaten into line; at least, there was no protest
about the drama.
For the former National Chairman of the All Progressives
Grand Alliance, APGA, Maxi Okwu, he told DAILY POST that it was a show of shame
and sheer tomfoolery.
He said: “I have stopped watching all these shows and skits
from the National Assembly. But from the popular account of what happened, this
Akpabio-led National Assembly will go down in history as the most sycophantic
and irresponsible. This 10th National Assembly will outdo the Ninth National
Assembly in sycophancy and court jesty.
“How could a credible National Assembly that is supposed to
be the watchdog on the executive excesses, engage in tomfoolery? But, that is
the lot that Nigerians have found themselves in, and we just have to hope for
the best, although I have personally given up.”
Also writing on his social media X handle, a man identified
as Bigwig Austin, condemned the lawmakers, saying, “National Assembly singing
for Tinubu? We have witnessed a rubber-stamp senate under Ahmed Lawan, but this
Godswill Akpabio’s senate is a collective hypemen.
“He has moved from wearing Tinubu’s cap to ‘On your mandate’
hype-lord right on the floor of the Senate.
“Every well meaning Nigerian must condemn this rendition of
Tinubu’s campaign in the National Assembly chamber. God forbid this outright
evidence of totalitarianism.”
Similarly, Dr. Reuben Abati of Arise Television, analysing
the issue during the Arise TV Morning Show on Thursday, equally frowned at the
development, saying it must be condemned.
He lamented that such action most often leads to
dictatorship by the leaders in most African countries. “This is how parliaments
in Africa turn their presidents into dictators,” he said.
He argued that a National Assembly of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria is a collection of people from different political parties,
including the Labour Party, LP, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the All
Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, and
others.
“It is a place for lawmaking. This kind of open sycophancy
is punitive. ‘On your mandate we shall stand’ is a song or slogan for the
ruling All Progressives congress, APC. So, the APC cannot hijack a bipartisan
National Assembly, where there are other political parties representing the
interest of Nigeria.
“And if you look at the result of the elections, it is not
every Nigerian that is standing on the mandate of President Tinubu. When the
president arrives at an occasion, the appropriate song to play is the national
anthem. And the budget presentation is a national occasion; so it is something
to be condemned,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Senator Ali Ndume has defended the action of his
colleagues, declaring that though it was not right, it was not a crime.
Ndume, while appearing on Channels Television, said, “It
happens; it is not a crime, it is a right.”
When asked by the presenter when it makes them look good, he
answered: “Not really, but in this country, we used to pick on trivial things.
When your President walks in, there are times some people will even take the
advantage to challenge the President directly.
“I remember when I was in the House, I was in the opposition
then; there was one of our colleagues, we called him ‘Pia Pia’; when the
President came and started making long presentation, Obasanjo was the
President, he stood up and said in Hausa, that it is a lie. And the President
was shocked, Obasanjo. Then he sat down and the President continued; it is
normal.
“Buhari came sometime back, this same thing was done; ‘say
Baba, say Baba’. So, why should Tinubu’s case be something different?
“Is it now because Tinubu is the President? I’m saying it is
not right, but equally it is not a crime.”
He added that, “even in America, where we are copying from,
they have issues like that; there was a time Donald Trump went to make a
presentation, he presented a speech, which is the tradition, the Speaker tore
the speech in front of the President.”
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