By Ayodele Fagbohun

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The moral impropriety, brazen turpitude and intrigues in the National Assembly which more often than not trails the passage of 2024 fiscal budget, is no longer a worthy news to celebrate, adulate and pass on, to bequeath the coming generation of more Nigerians still languishing in poverty and social economic misery.

Simply put aside from the rumpus wantonly triggered off by the Senators’ bicker over the sharing of the loot, blood money.

It is clear as noon day that the budget padding controversy is a curious and heinous crime perpetrated with ease and dexterity. It is replete with vain glorious malfeasance, corrupt and sharp practices characteristic of the present fourth (4th) republic politics, since 1999.

It is more curious and irksome that the national chairman, Northern Senators’ Forum, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) on suspension daubed a ruse, farce tantamount to apply balm on festering cancer, out of impunity and self conceit alleged that 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.

Ningi who assumed air of superciliousness and inveterate obduracy informed the nation on BBC Hausa service; the ten or interpretation of the new item not withstanding that the budget passed by the National Assembly for 2024 fiscal year was N25 trillion while the one being implemented by the executive arm of government was N28.7 trillion.

From the foregoing, it can be ascertained, and now apparent that the National Assembly  are on the verge of jettisoning, abandoning the practice and of the tenets of federal system in preference to dual law on the northern hegemony for autocracy to prevail, and the rest of the south to go downhill. God forbid!

Without prejudice to admixture of long experience in political tutelage and servitude under our erstwhile overlords, the British Colonial administration from 1914 and 1960 very close to half of century, the structure problem on the state of affairs still recur like a decimal. It is neither insuperable nor difficult to handle or administer if there is political will to do so.

However, it is the ugly national disaster and travail being swept under the carpet due to our naked greed, selfish ulterior motive, parochial desire of certain few individuals and again, lack of masterful political will of those at the top who still profit immensely from the iniquity.

If the generality of our youths have ventured, tried a little and be diligent well enough, they, the youth who really are the true vanguard of our democracy could have projected far into the future to transform the bleak future from the reckless pillage, extravagant, mis-utilisation of the nation’s scarce resources, and award of frivolous jumbo salaries and pension for doing absolutely nothing to grow the economy even marginally towards national productivity.

Some Nigerian youths, by virtue of sound education, intellectual attainment and brilliant innovative ideas are not employed let alone employable.

However, they are ruthlessly exploited and impoverishly deprived of their basic means of livelihood, for full and gainful employment.

The vision of some youths are perhaps blurred for the wholesome manner brazenly sought for political offices or patronage with ill gotten funds. Even those at the helm of government adopt undeserving act of pacifism to lull the youth into submission and complacency.

By grudgingly doling out mere peanuts on the waiting hands of these flamboyant promising youths with bright future prospects is unkindest cut that will provoke long reprisal attack on chain of events no one will predict on the current fragile and wicked socio-economic structure bedeviling Nigeria as presently constituted.

While vigorously canvassing for the restructuring of Nigeria to the status quo ante of a modified presidential system to reflect the laws and principle of home grown parliamentary feature. This will urgently and meaningfully address fair play, equity, justice, confidence and balance to every party of the polity.

If the youths have known or realized the enormity of their action by being driven from the pillar to the post on the spur of their fair weather politicians, they ought to have the seen the light at the end of the tunnel and boldly or courageously adopt the satyagraha, mahatma Ghandi policy of Ghandi’s policy of non-violence and passive resistance to British rule in India.

This would have been the surest and quickest way or practical political methodology to end the drift in political leadership of the country not at all in wasting more of the nation’s scarce resources as a result of hate, youthful exuberance and other violent reasons which could not be justifiably explained or stand the test of time.

It is time more than hitherto, to jettison the American presidential system which the military overlords foisted on the gullible Nigerians.

We blindly copy and practice foreign and nebulous political system which is neither feasible not sustainable absolutely incompatible with the socio-political aspirations and ideal of the people.

What is worse, the American system is downright expensive for the third world African rural and fragile economy apparently tied to the apron string of industrialized nations like the United States (US).

It is not even open secret and very repugnant in the extreme for instance in some independent African nations, Nigeria inclusive. It is unheard of in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Chartered Accountant in a top flight multi-national company to venture into kissing the dust in a bid to access loan or credit facilities from the industrial cartel like the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

I must say with clarity, no aversion for taking loans to meet up our international obligations not at the expense of our home demands which are more crucial to our livelihood as an independent and sovereign nation.

The Nigeria as a vibrant nation must stand erect in the comity of modern nations. This must be our ultimate goal if our latent economic prowess,  enigmatic and rich potential or our leadership in all aspects of human endeavours are anything to go by.

Now, the National Assembly (NASS) must urgently take the bull by the horns and fashion a home grown democracy in offering a good shelter and permanent abode for us in Africa.

It is re-structuring per se to put the nation’s search light on the prima facie on dire need of the Senate as part of second chamber with House of Representatives in the upper chamber.

It is a very sad commentary that the Senate is ideologically bankrupt and docile in orientation and not truly committed and disposed to nation’s building, aspirations and consciousness.

The Senate chamber as presently constituted is not able to assert itself as part of our courageous march to Nigeria’s destiny.

It should be declared now persona non grata in the scheme of things, and its functions if any should be taken over by the House of Representatives.

In conclusion, the excessive funds allocated to the pleasure of the National Assembly with reference to the Senate is grossly unjust, wasteful and reprehensible and diametrically opposed to the sickening depth of abject poverty, disease, youth unemployment that stalk the nation.

The earlier Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his dedicated team take more decisive approach on the state problem, the better for Nigeria as the “black star” of Africa!!