REP MEMBER, PRINCESS ONUOHA SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN LEGISLATURE’S INDEPENDENCE AT PLENARY
Juliet Uduji
Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha, member representing Okigwe North Federal Constituency, has raised her voice against judicial interference in legislative functions of lawmakers as it contradicts the guaranteed separation of powers among the Three Arms of Government.
She stated this at the plenary on Tuesday July 14 during the debate on the Second Reading of the Bill which seeks to amend the Legislative Houses Act 2017 on preserving the powers and privileges of the legislative house.
Hon. Onuoha who is a co sponsor of the Bill regretted that it has become a common practice to see people or agencies going to court and brandishing court orders on why they should not appear for investigative hearings, thereby obstructing the performance of their legislative duties.
The vocal female lawmaker said that by the provisions of Section 4 of the 1999 constitution as amended, no criminal or civil proceedings can be brought against the National Assembly in the course of their legislative duties.
She further said that though the Bill is not seeking to stop the jurisdiction of courts, it only defines the locus or qualification of persons who can seek to institute action against the House while instituting the principles of separation of power.
Similarly, Rep. Abubakar Fulata, the other sponsor of the bill, said while leading on the debate on the Bill which has been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary for further legislative work; that there has been several court cases which seek to halt the National Assembly and its committees from carrying out their legislative duties in contravention of section 4 of the Nigerian constitution.
He said the provisions of the constitution; nobody has the power to stop the National Assembly from doing its duties, adding that by the provisions of the law, you wait until after the legislature has concluded its work before you can challenge it.
He said the court cases seeing to stop the lawmakers from performing their jobs goes against the principles or separation of power.
Adding his voice to the Bill, Rep. Ossai Nicholas Ossai said in accordance with section 4(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 61 of the criminal code, obstruction of the powers of the legislature to carry out its function cannot be tolerated.
Speaker of the House,Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila said “we have witnessed many cases against the National Assembly conducting its duty. It is only when a matter has been concluded by the legislature that you can go to court and seek say the matter considered by the lawmaker was illegal.”