THE RUBBER STAMP REPUBLIC:
How Akpabio’s Senate Is Risking Nigeria’s Constitutional Balance and Why Adams Oshiomhole’s Rebuke Matters.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

There are moments when a single sentence on the floor of the Senate does more than scold; it indicts. When Senator Adams Oshiomhole (a former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress and a man familiar with the corridors of power) rose to tell the Senate, “I am not a rubber-stamp senator,” he did not merely defend his dignity. He tore at the gossamer veil that has been draped over the relationship between Nigeria’s legislature and the executive: a relationship fast drifting from healthy cooperation into dangerous subservience. Oshiomhole’s public rebuke of Senate President Godswill Akpabio is not theatre. It is a red flag; one that deserves urgent national attention.

The charge is simple, brutal and constitutional in its implications: bills are being “PASSED LIKE WATER,” rushed through without meaningful scrutiny, with little or no recorded debate on their merits, implications or fiscal consequences. Where the National Assembly was designed by the 1999 Constitution to act as a check on the executive (to scrutinize appointments, investigate maladministration, examine budgets and secure accountability) the spectacle of rapid, transactional lawmaking substitutes speed for substance and convenience for duty. In recent weeks and months Nigerians have watched executive proposals and packages move through the chambers with unusual haste; critics argue this pattern has become more frequent under the leadership of the 10th Senate.

Senate President Akpabio has predictably pushed back. He insists the National Assembly is not a “RUBBER STAMP” and that collaboration with the executive is not the same as capitulation; he has argued that co-operation, when properly managed, produces results for citizens. That defence matters (the legislature is not, and must not become, an adversary of reform for its own sake) but rhetoric cannot substitute for records. When the public sees an avalanche of bills moving in lockstep with executive timetables, and when senior senators themselves stand and object to the process, the perception of erosion becomes a political reality.

Why does this matter beyond partisan point-scoring? Because the health of Nigeria’s democracy depends on functional checks and balances. A rubber-stamp legislature undermines three critical safeguards: oversight of the executive, the protection of minority interests and the rigorous vetting of appointments and policies that affect billions of naira and the lives of millions. Scholars who study legislatures warn that when parliaments abdicate oversight, governance becomes less transparent and more corruptible; policy errors are more likely to persist because there is no robust forum to challenge assumptions or demand evidence. The literature on “rubber-stamp” legislatures (including detailed academic reviews of the National Assembly’s oversight function) shows that weak oversight is not merely a political embarrassment, it has real consequences for accountability, public finance and security.

Look at the facts on the ground. Over the past year the National Assembly has entertained sweeping constitutional amendment packages and a rolling procession of executive bills that critics say were given hurried consideration. Independent media tracking and civil-society guides to legislative oversight have documented that while committees sometimes perform their duties, plenary sessions (where the public record is made) show a worrying willingness to clear matters rapidly without full debate. The result: citizens and civil society are deprived of the opportunity to interrogate policy choices and to hold lawmakers to account. That is not democratic oversight; it is managerial convenience.

Oshiomhole’s rebuke also carries an internal sting: it came from within the governing party. When a senior party stalwart publicly accuses the chamber led by his party colleague of turning itself into a rubber stamp, it suggests fracture lines; not merely disagreements about procedure, but tensions over the very independence of the legislative arm. The symbolism is stark: if the Senate bows too readily to the executive, party structures will likewise be perceived as instruments of consolidation rather than forums of democratic contestation. That perception corrodes public trust in all institutions.

What must be done? First, the Senate must publish and enforce rules that guarantee adequate time for debate, full committee scrutiny and public input before any bill is read into law. Transparency is an antiseptic to slippage into clientelism. Second, senators should restore the practice of substantive plenary debate; not performative monologues, but documented interrogations that place ministers, appointees and policy proposals under the public microscope. Third, civil society, the media and professional bodies must keep score: regular, public scorecards on committee activity, attendance, report adoption and oversight visits will create an objective record that citizens can use to demand standards. Finally, the executive must accept that leadership in a presidential democracy is not the same as unchecked rule; genuine partnership respects institutional autonomy. Useful models and guides already exist (from local think-tanks and international parliamentary practice) on how oversight is supposed to work.

The warning signs are not hypothetical. Case studies from across Nigeria’s recent history show that when legislatures fail to exercise oversight, poor contracting, budget padding and unchecked patronage follow. A strong, independent National Assembly is the single best institutional hedge against the centralisation of power and the decay of public finance. Conversely, a legislature that feeds at the table of the executive without asking inconvenient questions accelerates governance failure. The stakes are national: budgets, appointments, security strategy and the integrity of electoral laws. A rubber-stamp Senate is not a political curiosity; it is institutional rot.

This editorial is not naive about the real-world politics of governing. Cooperation between the arms of government is necessary. But co-operation must be distinct from acquiescence. When senior members of the Senate (elected to represent diverse constituencies and to protect the public purse) declare themselves unwilling to be mere endorsers of executive will, the chamber should welcome that spirit as a reminder of its constitutional duty, not punish it as inconvenient dissent. Oshiomhole’s words should have been a summons to conscience, not a flashpoint.

In the end, the choice facing Nigeria’s lawmakers is straightforward: to be guardians of the constitution or to be managers of the president’s agenda. The difference is not cosmetic. Guardians probe, challenge, demand answers and if necessary, refuse. Managers placate, rubber-stamp and expedite. For the survival of Nigeria’s fragile democratic gains, the Senate must choose the harder path; the path of parliamentary independence, rigorous oversight, and public accountability. If it fails, the country will not merely misgovern; it will outsource its democracy. And that is a cost no nation can afford.

George Omagbemi Sylvester is a political analyst and columnist. Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

GLOBAL RECOGNITION: Hon. Agbaje Lukman Abiodun Receives Honorary Doctorate and Prestigious Humanitarian Award

The Executive Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Hon. Agbaje Lukmon Abiodun, has achieved a remarkable milestone in his illustrious career, receiving an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Political Science for his outstanding contributions to leadership, governance, and community development.

In a ceremony attended by distinguished personalities, Hon. Agbaje was also conferred with the esteemed Fellow Achievers International Integrity Humanitarian Hall of Fame Award of Recognition (FAIIHAR) by the Achievers Networks UK Academy, Worldwide Class of 2025. This prestigious international award acknowledges his unwavering commitment to integrity, humanitarian service, and excellence in public leadership.

Joining a league of notable awardees, including Hon. Desmond Olushola Elliot, Prince Antar Babatunde Laniyan, Emmanuel Toluwalemiose Oluwayemi, and Rev. Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi, Hon. Agbaje expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the awarding institutions and dedicated both honors to the resilient and supportive people of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.

“This distinction is not merely a personal achievement but a testament to the collective efforts of all who believe in good governance, integrity, and service to humanity,” Hon. Agbaje said. “It motivates me to redouble my efforts in serving my people and community.”

As a symbol of his commitment to excellence, Hon. Agbaje has announced that he will henceforth include the honorary title PhD (Honoris Causa) in his official address, reflecting the prestige and responsibility associated with this recognition.

This remarkable achievement brings pride to Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA and serves as an inspiration for future leaders to emulate the values of integrity, accountability, and excellence embodied by Hon. Agbaje Lukmon Abiodun (Hon. Ph.D.).

Oronna Festival Holds Huge Potential for Economic Growth and Community Unity — Senator Yayi

Senator Adeola Olamilekan Yayi, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, has reaffirmed that the Oronna Ilaro Festival possesses immense potential to drive community-based economic growth and strengthen social unity—if its rich cultural elements are properly developed and strategically harnessed.

Senator Yayi, who spoke at the grand finale of the 32nd Oronna festival in Ilaro on Saturday, said he remained an enthusiast of the culture in its various forms particularly when it encourages tourism development and ultimately socio economic development as typified by the tourism festival of Oronna.

He praised Governor Dapo Abiodun’s support for tourism development in Ogun State, particularly the Oronna Ilaro Festival.

Senator Adeola commended the Governor’s efforts in promoting festivals in the state, saying it has contributed to the holistic development of Ogun State.

He also acknowledged the Olu Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, for sustaining and growing the festival since his ascension to the throne in 2012.

He said, “let me place it on record that in all ways possible I am an enthusiast of our culture in its various forms particularly when it encourages tourism development and ultimately socio economic development as this tourism festival of Oronna, the legendary and mythological warrior hero of Ilaro, has turned out to be, particularly in its recent editions.

“I have no doubt that when properly harnessed and packaged, aspects of our culture are catalysts to community economic development as well as promotion of a desired unity.”

Senator Adeola highlighted his contributions to the development of his senatorial district, including the completion of over 300 infrastructure projects, such as road construction, healthcare, education, and security.

He also highlighted his role in facilitating the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to a Federal University of Technology, and his pledge to turn his senatorial district into a “small London”.

The Senator expressed his commitment to continuing to work with Governor Abiodun to develop Ogun State and support the Renew Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Let me salute our dear Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun CON, for his support for tourism development through promotion of different festivals in the state including Oronna Ilaro Festival. I am sure that your support is targeted at a holistic development of all aspects of our state.

“In the primary areas of security, your programmes in support of the security agencies has led to a violence- free- state and drastic reduction in criminal activities. You stand commended, Your Excellency, for your construction projects in the area of roads, hospitals and educational institutions across the state with a flagship project in the area of aviation through the construction and commissioning of the Gateway Cargo Airport at Iperu.

“In this senatorial district many laudable works stand to your credit like the work on Ilaro General Hospital nearby, the Owode- Idiroko Road, the llaro-Owode Road and many others which portrays you as a non-sectional governor with the interest of all Ogun State at heart. My heartfelt prayer for you always is for God Almighty to be your strength, your guide and counselor in all that you do. There is no doubt that your policies and programmes are complimentary of that of the Renew Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the federal level.

“On my part, I have attracted development projects to complement the good work of the governor in the state in my senatorial district and beyond in the area of road construction, health care, educational institutions, security and empowerment. In over two years, I have facilitated the completion of about 300 infrastructure projects.

“These includes over 115 road construction projects, construction of 30 School buildings, 32 Primary Health Care Centres, 25 modern markets, 13 Town Halls, 10 ICT Centres, 2 Intensive Care Units, 2 Libraries and 8 Police Stations. Other facilitate projects includes donation and installation of over 200 Electric Transformers, 250 Solar Street Light Projects of some 26,000 poles and personal commitment to repair and upgrade 10 major electric infrastructures affecting about 100 communities in perennial and months long black out in Ogun West and Beyond.”