By Christiannah Akindunbi & Kayode Olabanji
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Four years gone, and another election is fast approaching, with lawmakers in the State and National Assemblies wooing the eligible voters again and  seeking for their mandates. The Hope Classics correspondents, Biyi Akinnodi, Ore, Adewale Folasade, Ondo, Agboola Fesobi, Owo, Kayode Olabanji, Akure and Martins Fasusi, Okitipupa, speak with people from  both rural and urban areas on how  the people representing their constituencies have faired in delivering the dividends of democracy?

By Chief Michael Adekunle

Legislature is a law-making body of a political unit. Usually Federal and State Government, has power to enact, amend, and repeal public policy.

Just as the legislature has the mandate to control through legislation all economic, social and political activities of the nation, it also scrutinizes the policies of the executive and provides the framework for the judiciary to operate.

As legislators, their primary mandates are to carry out representative functions on behalf of the people of their constituencies.

Four years ago, they promised a lot, but I can say that they have failed on their promises.

There are no constituency projects: no genuine empowerment programme for people to reduce the level of poverty in the society.

So people should vote their conscience in the forthcoming general elections.

The legislators have a duty to represent the interests of their individual constituencies and not like what we have today that their interests is key to their hearts. They only fight for their pockets.

Apart from servicing the needs of constituencies, for legislators to be effective, they must listen to their constituencies, brief them about legislative and policy issues, aggregate the demands of these constituencies into legislative agenda and project these demands on the floor of the legislative chambers.

Mr Henry Olumide Akinsehinwa,

businessman

Sincerely, legislators both at the state and national levels have not represented us well. They are only representing their pockets. The money budgeted for legislators is huge enough to be able to take care of the constituency of each legislator.

Yet, the society where these legislators are representing is wallowing in abject poverty.

They should not forget that legislation is an important responsibility of a set of people who are voted into office by the masses. They legislate on the bills that if passed into law will ensure the peaceful coexistence and welfare of the citizenry.

Therefore, it is always pertinent on the part of the electorate to make sure the right people who are noble and God-fearing occupy the seat. But the situation we have in  Nigeria shows that the heartless and the dubious set of people have been ignorantly voted into power.

I was dazed when I heard that each senator is basically paid N14,000,000 monthly, apart from other money siphoned. Despite all these, the common man on the streets cannot afford two-square meal.

Nigeria has recently been tagged the poverty capital of the world, yet our legislators have fleets of cars, they build several gigantic houses, ignoring the yearnings of the common man.

It is high time the government stopped  paying the legislators on monthly basis.

Legislation should be restructured in such a way that legislators will be paid per seating, this will reduce the money wasted on them, and the money saved from this part time legislation will be used to meet the essential and basic needs of our society.

I’m in the affirmative that our legislators have not given us the dividend of democracy because they are not representing us well.

Mr Babatunde Asanbe, Engineer

The legislators representing the people across board have failed greatly. This is largely due to the desire of lawmakers to place self interest over national interest.

They are preoccupied with issues that affect the welfare of members of parliament than matters that affect the common man, namely, furniture allowance, budget padding, juicy committee appointments, penchant for key offices that attract political influence, unnecessary bickering with the executive arms etc.

They have failed to deliver dividends of democracy in so many ways.

For example, in the  area of appropriation, budgets are not passed as at when due, hence, budget implementation is slowed down. Secondly, oversight function has been merchandised.

Definitely, the lawmakers are not representing the people well, because laws that affect the people are not given attention.

Chief Balogun Olagbuyi

The present day politicians have deviated from the real value of what politicking encompasses. Politicking is all about bringing dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the common men.

The parliamentarian who is representing his constituency, both at the state and National levels has not lived up to expectations of the electorate.

You only see our legislators when it is electioneering period, making promises they can never fulfil.

As at today, in Isuada, none of those we voted for has deemed it fit to inaugurate any project in the community.

You can see the bad roads and nothing is being done. Even the legislators don’t visit except for plea for vote.

James Adeniyi,  A Bussinessman

Most legislators have failed woefully, hence they are representing their families to the detriment of their constituencies.

Just very few, I mean less than 20% are trying in terms of  infrastructures and other things.

They have  failed woefully and disappointed the people who voted them as their  representatives.

Infact, they have not delivered the dividends of democracy. There’s insecurity and no jobs for the teeming youths.

Everywhere, there is religious and tribal sentiments, with kidnappings and  killings.

 I make bold to say, our legislators at the State and National Assemblies have not delivered anything apart from lies and propagandas.

 They are not representing the masses at all. Let’s look at the budget paddling, economic melt down, non implementation of salaries increment, schools on strike, high rate of essential commodities, hike in fuel price and transportation, while salaries are not paid as at when due.

Mr. Ayoola Temitope, an engineer, technocrat

By the way, a legislator is an individual that is democratically elected by the people of a constituency to represent them in the legislative chamber.

Unfortunately, in answer to the germane question of ‘ Did legislators represent you well’? We have witnessed several incidents in the country, where these legislators have been stoned, attacked because the people feel they have failed to have concrete impact on their constituencies and the Nation at large.

I want  to believe if they have performed well, such situations would not  arise.

Addressing this issue, we have lost count of how many times we have read in the dailies of confrontations between the people and their representative since the advent of democracy in the year 1999 till date.   Many times, the legislators after being elected hardly go to their constituencies to meet with their people, after being sworn in.

 You don’t see them until another election season.

When they come around, they move around in convoy of security agents, making it almost impossible for the people they represent to have access, discussions with them on issues that affect the constituencies and the people.

Most times, they end up in complete disconnection with their people.

The performance of a legislator can only be felt by the number of useful and impacting laws made to improve the lot of the people and by the number of projects he or she is able to draw to the constituency, while he or she ensures the voice of the people are heard  through its representation.

Today, so many laws that are expected to be made to improve the society and its people are still not in place. Even when some are made, you hardly can site or fathom the relevance or positive impact on the life of the masses.

It  is crystal clear that they have not represented the people well in my own honest view.

Chioma Ojimba, legal practitioner

The legislators have failed the people they represent and  the clamour for a National Conference convened by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, was borne out of the fact that Nigerians have lost confidence in the legislators, both at the national, state and local levels.

Imcrease in corruption and indiscipline with impurity currently  ravaging virtually all government establishments and institutions in Nigeria have persisted because the legislature is weak and irresponsible to the plights of the people.

Over the last 20 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, the lawmakers have constantly delayed passing laws that would make the government more accountable and focused on how to add value to the lives of  Nigerians.

They rather prefer to identify with their respective political parties and cover up cases of high-level corruption and gross misconducts perpetrated by some members of the executive.

Unfortunately, the recent weeks have seen the job of lawmakers virtually halted by the internal politics of the incoming members of the National Assembly.

This is not acceptable for a country whose citizenry are in their need of quality laws that would improve their livelihood.

Mrs Beauty Akorede, Teacher

Our legislators have failed the people because they are no longer  for the people, rather they are  for their personal interests.

Also, they have not delivered the dividends of democracy to  the masses, except the remnants they give them when elections are approaching, like a congo of rice each and N1,000 each. In some situations,  they give N5,000, to secure another mandates.

Mr Femi Adamolekun, trader

The legislators are not representing the masses at all. They ignore their primary roles, forgetting the masses who voted them in, but only work for their pockets. That is why most of them are always making elections,  a do or die affair.

I think most of them do not know the primary purpose why they are there. They go there to buy fleet of cars with our money. They should be oriented, while thorough screening should be done before choosing anyone to represent any constituency.

Government needs to make a way for others to participate in the position by bringing down the amount they purchase the aspirant forms for each positions.

We have a lot of people who can represent us more better and are trustworthy. But when they do not have the huge amount of money to purchase tickets, so they step aside.

And in my own view, I do not think there is a need to spend much money before representing your constituency, if truly they are going there to work for us.

In a situation whereby you invite someone who has been out of his/her constituency for many years to represent you because of money, how do you expect such person to deliver after influencing you with his or her money.

Once they get there, they target  how to recover the money spent during the election. And in order to achieve this, they need to convert all money allocated like the constituency allowances and other projects to their own personal use.

I will advise the public to vote for  grassroot politicians. And not people who come around during  elections, just to achieve their selfish interests.

 It is regrettable that the rate of poverty in the Nation, has worsened things. Once we approach election time, they will start sharing money to get votes, and people do collect it.