Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen Yemi Adaramodu, has appealed to parliamentary reporters to enlighten the citizenry about the core duties and responsibilities of members of the National Assembly.
This is as he lamented that the legislators are perpetually under pressure from their constituents to create jobs, provide social amenities and infrastructure, among other functions which are constitutionally outside their purview.
Adaramodu, who made this appeal on Wednesday at a one-day capacity workshop for members of the Senate Press Corps, said that whereas the 1999 Constitution assigned specific responsibilities to the members of the National Assembly, Nigerians have continued to add to these responsibilities without due respect to the separation of powers under the presidential system.
He clarified that the legislators were elected to deliver on three core functions, namely, lawmaking, representation and oversight, but over the years, I have taken up more responsibilities due to pressures and political exigencies.
Adaramodu expressed concerns that oftentimes, the legislators are blamed for the underdevelopment of their constituencies, especially in respect of dilapidated roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and the absence of other social amenities such as water, food and shelter.
He observed that while these were executive functions, the general public usually expects lawmakers to take up the responsibilities based on the erroneous belief that the lawmakers are given money to execute projects. According to him, senators do not execute contracts but are only allowed to nominate projects worth N245million and below.
Adaramodu also urged the media to educate the public on the Standing Orders of the Senate, stressing that the raging controversy over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP/ Kogi Central District) would have been avoided if the public understood the rules guiding proceedings in the red Chambers.
He said that one of the rules Nigerians need to be educated on is section 6( 1) of the Senate standing rules, which empowers the President of the Senate to allocate and re-allocate seats to Senators at any time necessary.
In reference to the genesis of the crisis between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate in February this year, Adaramodu said the refusal of any Senator to obey the rules will always lead to avoidable crises.
"Journalists, like lawmakers, are supposed to have the knowledge of the standard rules together so that when somebody fails to observe the rules either in the Senate or House of Representatives, you let the public know in your reports.
" If you are supposed to sit on seat number 10 and you go and sit on seat number 13, you will not be recognised by the president, and if the affected person insists that he or she must be recognised, ' katakata' will surely come up.
" Also, seats allocated to Senators are not permanent, the reason why the President of the Senate, as mandated by provisions of rule 6(1), can re-allocate seats of Senators.
"The National Assembly is not a banana Republic where there are no laws. Our laws must be obeyed by us and understood by Nigerians, who are to be educated on them by those of you covering the Senate.
" In fact, parliamentary reporters like those of you covering the Senate are expected to be educated and knowledgeable like lawmakers themselves and even more knowledgeable," he said.