Nigeria’s Senate President, David Mark, has warned state legislators to resist interference and dominance by the executive arm of government in their states.
The Senate President gave the advice at an induction course for new state legislators organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS).
Senator Mark noted that the relationship between State Houses of Assembly and state governors in Nigeria has often been from two extremes; patronizing or rocky, but their is need for lawmakers to strike a balance.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Rule and Business, Senator Ita Enang, also shared this view as reports of sudden and ill conceived impeachments of presiding officers of the State Assemblies have become common, much to the dismay of many Nigerians.
The induction course, put together by the NILS, was to prepare state legislators to avoid pitfalls in the discharge of their duties.
The first task which the incoming lawmakers would have to contend with would be electing their principal officers.
The rule and convention of the Senate, the House of Representatives as well as state assemblies is that whoever must be a principal officer must be a ranking lawmaker, a rule that some first time lawmakers into the state assemblies have expressed reservation about.
However, Senator David Mark, as well as other principal officers of the National Assembly have called for caution and synergy between State Assemblies and the National Assembly to aid the country in achieving its developmental goals, increase transparency and accountability and curb corruption.