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According to a report that was published by Daily Post on Friday, June 12, 2026, Bukola Saraki, who had previously served as the President of the Nigerian Senate, has previously remarked that any legislative institution that does not possess the authority or the bravery to reject executive ideas is fundamentally ineffectual.
He made this viewpoint known while he was speaking about governance, legislative independence, and democratic accountability. He emphasised that the power of any parliament resides in its capacity to scrutinise and oppose executive actions when it is necessary to do so.
These comments were delivered by Saraki on Friday, during the episode of The Platform that was broadcast on Channels Television on June 12, 2026.
The program’s primary focus was on governance, institutional equilibrium, and the role that democratic structures play in enhancing responsibility within the political system.
Additionally, he explained that a legislature that only receives proposals from the executive branch, grants approval to such plans without conducting an appropriate review, and adjourns without engaging in serious debate is not fulfilling its constitutional duty correctly.
The essence of representation is diminished, and the legislature is reduced to a ceremonial body rather than an active pillar of democracy, according to him. This behaviour is counterproductive to the democratic process.
Saraki made the observation that it is anticipated that the legislature will serve as the primary mechanism where checks and balances are carried out within the government.
He stressed that politicians guarantee that policies reflect the broader interests of citizens rather than the limited preferences of those in power by carefully reviewing, debating, and occasionally rejecting executive recommendations. This is the way that lawmakers ensure that policies reflect the interests of citizens.
Additionally, he emphasised the fact that parliamentary institutions serve as venues that allow for the constructive expression of a variety of political, ethnic, and ideological perspectives.
According to his point of view, the legislature offers a structured setting in which conflicts within a varied society may be handled through debate and negotiation, without the arguments growing into institutional breakdown or national instability.
According to him, the experiences he had while serving in the National Assembly reaffirmed his conviction that the power of the legislative branch is determined by the degree of independence and assertiveness it possesses.
He believed that a parliament’s inability to exercise its authority to reject or change executive proposals is indicative of a lack of genuine legislative character and a failure to defend democratic values.
It was during his tenure as Senate President that he made the following statement: “So, what I learned in those four years in the National Assembly is that a legislature that cannot say no is not a legislature at all.”
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