which is to improve the welfare of the people.
Osinbajo made this submission at the closing session of the two-day
Joint Executive-Legislature Leadership Retreat on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, there is no pure practice of the doctrine of
separation of powers; hence the need for flexibility.
“The Anglo-American traditions that we hold on to in support of the
separation of powers are not pure; so, for example, the U.S. Vice
President serves as the president of the Senate and presides over the
Senate’s daily proceedings.
“In the absence of the Vice President, the Senate’s president pro
tempore, and others designated by him, preside.
“ As one of the Senate’s constitutional officers, only the Vice
President has the authority to cast a tie-breaking vote.’’
Osinbajo said that in the country that had the most advanced
jurisprudence on the separation of powers, they were wise enough to
provide for a concrete bridge between the executive and the legislature.
He said that in the UK, the convention was that every Minister must be a
member of the House of Commons or the House of Lords and every minister
must be a legislator.
“So, if that were to be in Nigeria all the Ministers would be either
Senators or members of the House of Representatives.
“So, these countries we look up to recognise that any strict separation
of powers will impede development, impede governance, and short change
the people.
“So, my brothers and sisters, it is time to focus on what we have been
elected or appointed to do; this is the welfare of our people.
“The law and practice as between parliament and executive is a means to
an end not an end to itself; the means must not jeopardise the end.
“Our people just want food on their table, shelter over their heads,
clothing on their bodies, healthcare, and education for their children
and themselves.’’
According to him, the good legislator or good minister is not the one
who is waving the law, and procedure, and doctrines but the one who
believes in securing the maximum welfare, freedom, and happiness of
every citizen.
He said that the good legislator and minister must do all in their power
to serve the needs of the people, even if it meant walking the fine
lines, as Ali Wudil said, between the law and reality.
“The real usefulness of this dialogue will emanate from the suggestions
the President made yesterday, by the constitution of technical
committees of the executive and legislature who now make the
well-reasoned recommendations that we must implement.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has already committed to the implementation
and I trust that the leadership of the National Assembly will do the
same,’’ he said.
The recommendations of the retreat were presented by Prof. Ibrahim
Gambari, Chief of Staff to the President, who was represented by FCT
Minister, Mohammed Bello.
Gambari, in the recommendations, said that there should be a concrete
understanding and working knowledge of both the executive and
legislature.
“An effective confidence-building measure should be put in place in the
governance process to ensure mutual respect and cordial relationship
between the executive and legislature.
“The creation of effective conflict management and resolution mechanism
in resolving areas of disagreement between the executive and legislature
in the overall national interest.
“Modalities for better access, interfacing, and engagement between the
leaderships of both arms of government, the National Assembly
committees, and MDAs should be worked out by the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation and National Assembly-Executive Liaison,’’
he said.
He said that pursuant to the directive of President Buhari and
concurrence by Leadership of the National Assembly and participants, a
Joint Technical Committee would be constituted.
Gambari said that the committee would, among other things, align the
government’s nine-point priority agenda with the legislative agenda of
the Senate and House of Representatives to increase synergy and
coordination of government policies and programmes.(NAN)