Eighth NASS most persecuted in Nigeria’s history, says Dogara

Nigeria’s eighth Speaker of House of Representative Yakubu Dogara Thursday said the eighth National Assembly suffered the most embarrassments and persecutions in the history of Nigeria.

“The 8th House holds the record as the most persecuted and harassed Parliament, ever in Nigeria’s history,” Dogora said during the valedictory session of the federal lawmakers.

“We witnessed sieges and invasion by state operatives. Some members suffered witch-hunts, house arrests and false accusations,” he added.

Dogara, however, said despite the “headwinds and turbulence” he feels fulfilled as a leader because the house was “not compromised or exploited.”

Delays in passing budgets, amid wrangling between the executive and legislature marred the supposed co-operation between the two arms.

In May, President Muhammadu Buhari said the relationship between the arms was not the best. Buhari specifically “rated” Dogara and senate president Bukola Saraki “low in patriotism”.

The president also accused them of holding “the country at ransom for seven months” for not passing the 2018 budget in due time.

“Unfortunately, they were not hurting me; they were hurting the country. So, really, in terms of patriotism, I think I rated them very low indeed,” Buhari said.

Meanwhile, Dogara believes that the eighth has made “a huge success” and that the parliament was not designed to be an alter of praise for the executive but a co-equal branch to serve as a check on executive power.

“We are also witnesses to [a] barrage of uncharitable criticisms and assessments bandied on daily basis in the media by hired mercenaries who masquerade as analysts,” Dogara said.

“Most of these analysts are ignorant of the fact that the parliament was not designed to be an altar of praise for the Executive but a co-equal branch to serve as a check on Executive power.”