Abuja, July 9, 2025 — Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has raised alarm over the escalating burden on federal lawmakers caused by the widespread collapse of local government administration across Nigeria.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, Gbajabiamila said the breakdown of the third tier of government has left legislators scrambling to fill gaps in essential services—despite lacking both the mandate and resources to do so.
“The collapse of the local government system has created a situation where citizens now expect members of the legislature, particularly those in the National Assembly, to fill the gap in providing social services,” he said.
He noted that this growing public expectation is redefining the role of lawmakers in troubling ways, with legislators now being judged not by their work on laws or oversight, but by how many roads they build or how much healthcare they deliver.
“A member of the House of Representatives who isn’t actively engaged in providing education and healthcare facilities, building roads, and delivering empowerment is not going to be a legislator for very long,” Gbajabiamila remarked.
Describing the situation as a “paradigm of dysfunction and resentment,” he warned that the trend poses a serious threat to the core functions of the legislature—lawmaking, oversight, and representation. He stressed that the Constitution never envisioned lawmakers as service providers, nor were they resourced to perform that role.
Gbajabiamila also drew attention to the limited authority of the legislature compared to the executive, pointing out that lawmakers lack enforcement power and can only act after decisions have been made.
“Even our oversight functions are retroactive,” he said, highlighting the challenge of being held accountable for decisions beyond their control.
He criticized the media and sections of civil society for mischaracterizing lawmakers’ responsibilities, often blaming them for inadequate infrastructure and public services without addressing the real institutional gaps at the local government level.
“The appropriations process remains the only tool legislators can use to respond to these expectations; yet, it is this very process that is often criticised by the same public that demands those interventions,” he explained.
Gbajabiamila welcomed President Tinubu’s push to restore local government autonomy and functionality through better funding and accountability measures, describing it as essential to restoring balance in the federal structure.
“When local governments have the resources and independence to function as the constitution intended, then legislators are freed to legislate, develop policy, advocate for the greater good, and hold the executive to account,” he said.
He called for a national conversation about the evolving role of lawmakers, suggesting that if legislators must continue providing social services, this expanded function should be formally captured in the Constitution—with corresponding resources allocated transparently.
“Perhaps it is time to reflect that role in the constitution and ensure resources are made available in a structured, transparent, and accountable manner,” he proposed.
Gbajabiamila concluded by urging Nigerians to protect the independence of the legislature and allow it to grow into a strong institution capable of deepening the country’s democratic culture.
