Adesoro Tolu Austen, Special Adviser on Media and Labour to the Clerk to the National Assembly writes on the significance of the revamped Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislatures
Come July 2nd and 3rd, 2021, the Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislatures (COPON), which is made up of Presiding Officers and Speakers of the National and States Houses of Assembly in Nigeria, will be having its very important meeting in Abuja.
Coincidentally too, between July 1st and 2nd, 2021, the Forum of Clerks of Nigerian Legislature (FOCON), a body essentially made up of Clerks in the country, will be brain storming to address salient issues affecting the administration of the legislature, in the nation’s capital city of Abuja.
The theme of Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislature’s (COPON) meeting is, “Public Perception on The Role of The Legislature: Post Legislative Scrutiny And The Independence Of The Legislature,” while the meeting of Forum of Clerks of Nigerian Legislature (FOCON) will essentially dwell on status report from the states, the training of newly appointed Clerks other related nagging issues.
For obvious reasons, the subject of this piece will be more on the Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislature (COPON), more so, as the theme for discussion is not only very germane, but fundamental to the progress and sustainability of parliamentary democracy in our clime.
When Arun Jaitley, the late Indian veteran attorney and former Finance Minister, who worked tirelessly for the progress of his country, wrote that: “Parliamentary accountability is as important as parliamentary debate,” he was looking at the sacred mandate bestowed on parliamentarians in any progressive democratic set up, nay the much expected role presiding officers are supposed to spearhead in ultimately bringing democratic dividends, to the door steps of the electorates.
The public expectations of the legislature cannot simply be overemphasized, and the public perception of its role contributes heavily to the legitimacy of democracy.
Firstly, it must be noted that, the legislature is a key institution of democratic politics and public accountability, therefore, how it is publicly perceived is linked to democratic survival and legitimacy.
We cannot run away from the fact that a key factor in the perception of the legislature, derives from its performance of core constitutional duties of law-making, oversight and representation, as well as other related or associated duties.
As we know legislatures are in place to represent the collective will of their societies, and law makers are expected to carry unique responsibilities.
Through the democratic means of peaceful interaction and compromise, the legislature in Nigeria is constitutionally empowered to fulfill the various tasks of public deliberations over any and all issues of societal concern, such as debate; the creation of legal and budgetary frameworks that stipulate how those issues are to be addressed- legislation; and oversight of programs brought out by the executive arm of government, to attend to those issues, by way of scrutiny.
Because the legislature is seen as carrying the responsibilities of being trustees for diverse groups of communities in various geographical locations in Nigeria, they must be accountable to them, hence the forthcoming Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislature (COPON), is long overdue, and a welcome development.
Given the fact that public or citizen participation in the core work of the legislature, is viewed to be critical to the overall performance of the legislature, the birth of COPON in 1980, during the Second Republic, as a forum for articulating and addressing issues of common interest to the Nigerian legislature, was a watershed in Nigeria.
It is sad to note that the military incursions into Nigerian political system, and some known protracted issues that besieged the early years of resuscitation of democracy from 1999 upwards, made COPON non-existent.
COPON came alive again in 2007, in 2008 and in 2009. COPON again slide into limbo until it surfaced again in December 2013, with its Fifth (5) Conference.
More saddening is the fact that COPON, an organization with such laudable objectives such as :” strengthen the institution of legislatures to play pivotal role in sustaining democracy; ensure liberty, equality justice and dignity of Nigeria; contribute to effective functioning of the Nigeria legislatures; encourage contacts between Nigerian legislatures on one hand, and parliamentarians in Africa and other countries on other hand; and ensure autonomy of the institution of legislature in Nigeria at all levels, has not been meeting as at when due.
Meanwhile, article 8 (1 -3 ) of the rules and regulations COPON of 2008, states that:” The General Assembly shall meet quarterly at such place as the General Assembly shall decide; The meeting shall rotate among the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory; The extraordinary session of the General Assembly may be convened by the (a) Chairman; (b) Executive Committee; and (c) at the request of at least a simple majority of members of the Conference addressed to the Chairman” .
It is imperative to look at how COPON is being funded according to its rules and regulations, perhaps lack of funding is a major reason that this all important legislative organization has not been fort coming in terms of stipulated quarterly meetings.
The article 19: Financial Provisions states as follows. “The Conference shall be funded through: annual levies and contributions of members; donations to the Conference; aid from donor agencies; and any other donation.”
Now, why has the Conference being slowed down in terms of proactive meetings? The onus rests squarely on the leadership and all members, to be alive to the wonderful objectives of COPON, of drastically pulling resources together, by way of prompt response to financial obligations; and the constant need for financial drive to sustain the organization.
COPON and FOCON must find a way to be relevant in the parliamentary democracy such as it is obtainable in Nigeria today, the laudable objectives of these two vital organs of political representation must never be compromised by anything.
The sub-themes of this COPON meeting like: “Post- Legislative Scrutiny as a Positive Public Perception of the Legislature” to be handled by Franklin De Vriese and the “Effects of Public Perception on the Independence of the Legislature” to be anchored by Prof. Sam Egwu, are clear indication that it is going to be very productive and brain storming.
More so, when the electorates increasingly perceive that the vibrancy and the importance of the legislatures have been depleted by increasing power of the various executives in Nigeria, and corruption, which has diminished their prestige and aura.
The fact of the matter is that, the public perception of the Legislatures in Nigeria, is not encouraging, given incredible scandalous development that sometimes jump out to the public that is the more reason the ‘COPON 2021’ meeting is not only strategic, well timed, but very instructive.
The leadership and members of COPON must endeavor to try even after this all important summit to pragmatically approach its oversight functions, to scale up, overarching goal of the Legislature, to promote public accountability in all ramifications.
More disturbing is the issue of rubber stamp syndrome and vindictive usage of impeachment process by some executives at the states assembly. All hands must and should be on deck to institutionalize COPON and FOCON, to take then to greater heights, constant synergy must continuously come to play to sustain these two mighty organs of Legislatures in Nigeria.
The symbiotic roles of the various arms of government, in sustaining democracy in Nigeria cannot be ignored, as the executive, judiciary and the Legislature must effectively promote the doctrine of separation of powers, by acting independently of each other, for the ultimate benefits of the electorates, in whom sovereignty resides.
This is to appreciate the fantastic efforts of development partners such as the Partnering to Engage, Reform and Learn – Engaged Citizens Pillars (PERL-ECP), The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), in sustenance of parliamentary democracy in Nigeria.
There is no disputing the candid fact that COPON, is a veritable tool for strengthening the Nigerian legislatures, the ongoing constitutional review process demand a common Legislative perspective, from ‘COPON 2021’ meeting
No doubt, as COPON continues to serve as a wonderful vehicle of interactions and a tool for articulating legislative issues, it will be a useful platform for the promotion of knowledge and education of members, in that way drastically bridging the much needed gaps of members to provide effective leadership in their respective houses.
COPON will also continue to help in ensuring that the Nigerian legislatures adopts a uniform legislative procedures and international best practices.
QUOTE
The theme of Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislatures (COPON) meeting is, “Public Perception on The Role of The Legislature: Post Legislative Scrutiny and The Independence of The Legislature,” while the meeting of Forum of Clerks of Nigerian Legislature (FOCON) will essentially dwell on status report from the states, the training of newly appointed Clerks other related nagging issues. The theme for discussion is not only very germane, but fundamental to the progress and sustainability of parliamentary democracy in our clime
