Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, has sharply criticized the performance of the National Assembly, stating that the legislature is failing to carry out its core responsibility of overseeing the activities of the executive arm of government.

Ndume made the remarks during an interview with Dan’Uwa Rano TV, where he expressed concern about what he described as the gradual collapse of the oversight function of Nigeria’s parliament.

The outspoken lawmaker, who has recently criticized some policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the National Assembly is no longer effectively scrutinizing government actions as expected in a democratic system.

According to him, the legislature has increasingly become an institution that simply approves proposals presented by the executive branch without thorough examination.

“There is no oversight at the National Assembly anymore. We are doing nothing. The way the National Assembly is functioning amounts to nothing,” Ndume said during the interview.

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Ndume Questions Legislature’s Relevance

The senator went further to question the relevance of the institution under the current circumstances, suggesting that the legislature’s inability to perform its constitutional duties raises serious concerns.

“I don’t know which is better between its existence and nonexistence. I am one of them,” he said, acknowledging that he is also a member of the National Assembly he criticized.

Ndume, however, rejected the notion that lawmakers alone should be blamed for Nigeria’s governance challenges.

Instead, he argued that leadership in any society often reflects the values and character of the people who produce those leaders.

To emphasize his point, the senator referenced a religious teaching about societal responsibility in governance.

“Allah says He does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within them, meaning if the society is righteous, their leaders tend to be righteous,” he said.

Ndume added that citizens must take greater responsibility in shaping leadership outcomes in the country.

“The poor has allowed his opportunity to wither away,” he stated.

Kingibe Raises Concerns Over Women’s Representation

Meanwhile, Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the National Assembly, has also raised concerns about what she described as oppressive attitudes toward women in the Senate.

Speaking in an interview on ARISE Television, Kingibe said outspoken female lawmakers are often labelled as troublesome within the legislative environment.

She argued that the proposal to create six special seats for women in the Senate would not significantly address the issue of gender imbalance in the upper chamber.

According to her, such a limited increase in representation would not fundamentally change the male-dominated nature of the Senate or give women stronger voices in legislative decision-making.

Kingibe lamented that without deliberate and broader reforms aimed at improving women’s political participation, gender representation in Nigeria’s legislature is unlikely to improve.

The remarks by both lawmakers have sparked fresh debate about the effectiveness of the National Assembly, its oversight responsibilities, and the need for reforms to strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria.