Hon. Mansur Manu Soro, a member of the House of Representatives, has advocated for a constitutional amendment to control the suspension procedure of National Assembly members, claiming that this would prevent the Senate President and the House of Representatives Speaker from abusing their positions of authority.
In response to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent suspension, Soro told reporters in Bauchi on Monday that the action “undermines democratic representation.”
According to reports, Soro underlined that the Senate or House of Representatives position is established by the 1999 Constitution and should not be arbitrarily suspended by the National Assembly’s leadership.
“The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended is the foundation for the office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as it is for any other senator or member of the House,” he said. The President’s, Governor’s, and Local Government Chairman’s offices are all affected.
The Constitution does not outline how an elected lawmaker might be suspended, he pointed out, even though it outlines the processes for impeaching the president, governor, and presiding officers of the National Assembly.
According to Soro, “the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the only constitutional mechanism for recalling lawmakers, which is started by their constituents.”
Encourage the Reform of Legislation
Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi (Bauchi Central Senatorial District) was recently suspended, which Manu Soro cited as evidence that such measures deprive constituents of their right to representation.
According to the legislator, “I felt awful when my Senator, Abdul Ningi, was suspended because my constituency was denied a voice in the Senate.” I’ve put out a bill to modify the 1999 Constitution and establish a transparent procedure for suspending MPs because of this.
“A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to regulate the process of suspending a member of the National Assembly,” he explained, is his proposed bill that aims to ensure due process in the suspension of lawmakers, limit the excessive powers of the National Assembly leadership, and protect the constitutional rights of all 360 federal constituencies and 109 senatorial districts from unjust suspension.
Soro also put forth a second bill, which was named “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to provide for compulsory retirement of National and State Executive Members of political parties seeking elective government areas.”
The purpose of the measure is to encourage internal democracy inside political parties and guarantee fairness in party primaries.
The Senate President’s Office Has Too Much Power
Soro contended that the Senate President has excessive authority, which makes it simple to unilaterally suspend legislators.
“Any senator can be suspended at any time due to the overconcentration of power in the Senate President’s office,” he stated.
The necessity of justice and openness was emphasized as he also urged for a reassessment of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Code of Conduct’s appointment procedure.
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You may fire a chairman I appointed at any time, so you can’t expect them to suggest sanctions against me, he said.
The congressman added that arbitrary suspensions undermine accountability and weaken the institution, underscoring the importance of a robust legislature for a functioning democracy.
“Only when the legislature is robust and the rights of constituents to representation are upheld can democracy flourish,” he said.
“Only then will we be able to fulfill the actual goals of democracy in Nigeria.”
