There may be no better time to discuss this salient topic than now when democracy in our dear country is becoming more and more consolidated. Therefore, with democratic consolidation, we will naturally expect strengthening of its key institutions. I also believe that this type of discussion needs to be expanded considering the manner in which the legislature is being misrepresented in our polity. Lack of adequate knowledge of parliamentary etiquette has led many to pass negative judgments on lawmakers’ activities.
In this age of sweeping media revolution, media profession is faced with threats and opportunities. These days, anybody with access to a phone with Internet is already a reporter
While the legislature forms an arm of the tripod that is democratic governance and known for its checks and balances, media, on the other hand is the voice of the civil society. It aggregates the condition, feelings, yearnings and aspirations of the people to the system, ditto programmes, initiatives, policies and pronouncements of the institutions of power to the people.
The brand of democracy we practise is also called representative democracy because of the existence of the legislature.
Legislature is the most expressive reason why democracy is considered government of the people and by the people, because there are direct representations from everywhere. In the Legislative chambers, everybody has a voice and everyone represents the needs and idiosyncrasies of his or her people. As an institution, the Legislature is an ombudsman within the government. It moderates excesses and ensures justice. In this, the legislature shares the fundamental traits of journalism.
Primers of our constitution have recognised the essence of the legislature as a more direct involvement of the people in governance as some sort or provost for the executive arm; hence it is given certain precedence over the two other arms. In fact, as a symbolism of such powers, even in the order of treatment in our Constitution, the Legislature is dealt with first before the other organs of government. Thus, while section 4 of our constitution deals with legislative powers, section 5 enumerated the powers of the executive and section 6 deals with powers of the judiciary.
In fact, respected constitutional lawyer, Professor Itse Sagay is of the belief that the legislature is “the number one arm of government in any democratic state”. Aside Chapter 5 of Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which stipulates powers of the legislature, the Second Schedule to the Constitution equally enunciates on functions of the lawmaking arm of the government.
In his famous work, Considerations on Representative Government, English political theorist and thinker, John Stuart Mill, posits that, ‘The proper office of a representative assembly is to watch and control the Government; to throw the light of publicity on its acts ; to compel a full exposition and justification of all of them, which any one considers questionable; to censure them if found condemnable, and, if the men who compose the Government abuse their trust, or fulfill it in a manner which conflicts with the deliberate sense of the nation, to expel them from office, and either expressly or virtually appoint their successors.’
This passage further shows us the powers and responsibilities the Legislature has in its kitty under democracy. And, for me, it is not much about powers but indeed the responsibility of making our democracy a true representative government where “we the people” have a voice that is dutifully amplified by our lawmakers. For this reason, the general idea that let there be no conflict between the arms of government is just an illusion. It is not always good for the people for all the arms of government to be in sync. When there is conflict, which is an ingredient of co-habitation, there is likely more value for the people. An ombudsman ought not to have it all roses all the time with he who the ombudsman oversees.
Now, in all these things said about functions and roles of the Legislature, there is also need for a third eye, a fourth estate of the realm, for proper rolling of the system. It is here that journalism comes in –the need to reinforce the work of the legislature and also, where need to watch over the ombudsman as well.
In this age of sweeping media revolution, media profession is faced with threats and opportunities. These days, anybody with access to a phone with Internet is already a reporter. Blogs cost barely nothing to maintain. On the other hand, preponderance of online media has put the conventional media on the edge. The solution is to be more creative and go the extra mile.
Imam, is the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State
