Debuting Lawmakers Must Master the Rules of Legislative Practice, Procedure -DG
By Toffa Momoh, Abuja
The Director-General, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, (NILDS), Professor Abubakar O. Sulaiman, has urged the members-elect of the National Assembly and Houses of assembly of Nigerian states to master the rules of legislative practice and procedure and the tools available to them in the conduct of their oversight functions.
Professor Sulaiman gave the charge at the Induction Workshop for Members-Elect of Plateau and Bauchi State Houses of Assembly organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, (NILDS) on Monday in Abuja.
The D-G, who encouraged the new lawmakers to perform their role effectively, further enjoined legislators, especially those coming to the Assembly for the first time, to understand the scope and limitations of their powers to make laws for the order and good governance of the State as constitutionally stipulated.
Professor Sulaiman reckoned that the state assemblies in Nigeria constitute the major lawmaking body which are confronted with a myriad of challenges, which according to him, bother on the far reaching power of the executive.
The D-G called on legislators to work round the clock to demystify their operational challenges, calling on the Executive to accord lawmakers the liberty to work and to determine the autonomy of the Assemblies.
‘‘To perform this role effectively, however, legislators, especially those coming to the Assembly for the first time, must understand the scope and limitations of their powers to make laws for the order and good governance of the State as constitutionally stipulated. Members are also required to master the rules of legislative practice and procedure and the tools available to them in the conduct of their oversight functions.
‘‘The first challenge a legislator faces is that of making the transition from a ‘candidate’ to a ‘Member’. Understanding the structure, functions and operations of the legislature can be daunting and unsettling. As most of you are already aware, there is limited time for you to make this transition and commence the work of lawmaking, oversight and representation. This will even be made more complicated by social requests from your constituents.
‘‘For this reason, this induction programme has been organised by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) to enable new lawmakers to understand their roles, responsibilities, and the functioning of the legislature. The various sessions in this induction will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of legislative procedures, rules, and protocols. This knowledge is vital for effective participation in legislative activities, such as debates, committee work, and voting procedures. Furthermore, it ensures that legislators, especially new Members, can navigate the legislative process more confidently and make informed decisions.’’ The DG said.
Also speaking, Country Representative, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Marija Peran, said the aim of the workshop is to acclimatize the new lawmakers with their roles and responsibility for the task ahead of them.
‘‘This induction training aims at getting the new legislators to understand what their mandates are; their roles, functions, duties and responsibilities and also to prepare them for starting of their 10th Assembly in their respective states,’’ Peran stated.
For his part, Member-Elect, Barkin-Laden-Riyom Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Timothy Dalyop said Plateau State has benefited a lot from the training received from the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, adding that the State stands out in legislative affairs.
