President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised the National Assembly for preserving the democractic ideals since since 1999 when the fourth democratic government began.
“In 2006, the 5th National Assembly protected our democracy against an unseemly third-term bid that would have ripped our constitution apart.”
Apparently referring to attempt by the then President Oludegun Obasanjo to force a Third-term rule on the nation that was stopped by the National Assembly, Tinubu, described the lawmakers as “the authors of the people’s law.”
Speaking today, June 12, at the joint session of the national assembly to commemorate the Democracy Day, the President insisted that the National Assembly has acted to uphold democratic ideals at every critical moment in the national history.
Tinubu also recalled that in 2010, the National Assembly, through the doctrine of necessity, opened the door for then-Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to become the acting President following the illness of his predecessor.
“Even under the military, the National Assembly tried to protect our democracy.
“After General Abacha took over power on November 17, 1993, and dissolved the National Assembly, some of us, led by Senator Ameh Ebute, the Senate President in the 3rd Republic, defied the General and his goons to reconvene in the Old Parliament Building in Lagos. We were jailed or our defiance.”
He said that while the executive and the legislature might not always agree, the two must forge a way to work together, “because this is what democracy demands of us.
“I pledge myself to this cooperation and ask that you do the same for the good of our people.
The President appreciated the invaluable role of the national assembly in lawmaking, oversight, and constituency representation.
