WHO IS A LAWMAKER? Abire Sunday

Like we were taught in elementary schools, there are three Arms of government. The Legislature, Executive and Judiciary are structured with specific objectives, visions as well as duties. While the Legislative arm makes the laws, the judiciary interprets and the executive implements.

No arm of government enjoys external support like the Executive. The Legislature and Judiciary are rigidly wired in terms of functioning. For instance, a president may be a cook but enjoys the assemblage of intelligent cabinet members who cover for his inadequacies. If he’s a taciturn, like the biblical Moses appointed Aaron to be his mouthpiece, his lieutenants can speak for him. He’s guided by the ingenuity of others and it’s not a sin in a democracy.

The Legislative and Judiciary Arms do not enjoy such flexibility. How do you expect an untrained friend of a judge step in to hear your case in the court of law? No matter how intelligent in lawmaking, the aide of a legislator cannot represent his principal in the hallowed Chambers. Responsibilities are not transferrable. Certain unbendable criteria are set in such line of duty. It’s for the most qualified.

Ideally, the Legislative Arms with clear mandate should not have been populated by men and women who do not even know why they are there but democracy being a rule of numbers has sent us backward and the body of laws is shattered beyond repair.

In the Legislative arm, our kind of representative democracy has produced the ‘Oluomo’ kind of NURTW audacious representation without recourse to the damages done to the present and future of our laws. Without sounding immodest, a large number of lawmakers do not even get to raise their voices once in four years. Some have no Bill, motions and contributions on the floor of the House or Senate. Some don’t even show up at all. As long as money keeps flowing, the people do not care.

If you think I am being unkind in words, check the history of Akoko South East and West Federal Constituency since 1999 and tell me whether we have had lawmaker with any single Bill except the incumbent. Why is the country running a bicameral legislature and our laws are still as primitive as ever? We have suffered great dereliction of duties because we preferred those who do not know their onions represent us.

Away from politics, ask the ‘incomings’ seeking support to be legislators in your hood whether they even know their responsibilities. Just ask them to tell you their legislative agenda and you will be shocked. Those who want to become lawmakers must first understand the responsibilities of lawmakers. They must show capacity to deliver too. A taciturn cannot speak for the people. Beyond the capacity to deliver the kind of Oluomo’s NURTW boldface representation, a LAWmaker must show a thorough understanding of the laws of the land. How do you get elected to change, redefine and emplace workable laws when you do not even know anything?

I think we need to start asking those who intend to become legislators define their roles for us before they qualify for our votes. This is how to save the system from an impending ruin. Who’s a LAWmaker? Any idea? Ask your preferred candidate.