The Parliament
Nigeria’s Parliament, known as the National Assembly, operates a bicameral legislature comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives. Since the return to democracy in 1999, it has run six consecutive legislatures over 24 years.
The Senate (Red Chamber) consists of 109 Senators, with equal representation from each state, while the House of Representatives (Green Chamber) has 360 Members representing constituencies based on population.
The National Assembly is responsible for lawmaking, oversight, and representation, with much of its work carried out through specialized committees made up of experienced legislators who review bills, motions, and national issues.
One of the two chambers of the Nigeria’s National Assembly that make up the Bicameral Legislature is the Senate. It is popularly known as the Red Chamber in Nigeria. The Senate is made up of 109 duly elected Distinguished Senators representing Nigeria’s 109 Senatorial Districts.
The formation of the Chamber is based on three Senatorial Districts per State and one for the Federal Capital Territory. It is presided over by the President of the Senate and assisted by the Deputy President of the Senate. They are also assisted by eight Principal Officers and several Committee Chairmen and Vice Chairmen.
The eight Principal Officers include Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.
As the highest lawmaking institution in the country, the Red Chamber is constitutionally vested with the power of making laws for the peace, order and good governance of the Federation. Similarly, it is empowered to represent the interest, yearnings, aspirations and wellbeing of the citizenry. Also, the apex Parliament is saddled with the power of scrutinizing public institutions and officials to ensure probity and accountability in governance.
Similarly, the Upper Legislative house also intervenes in matters of urgent National interest like insecurity, epidemic, drought, poverty, illiteracy, flood and other national issues. It can also intervene in resolving disputes between the government and labour unions with a view to usher in industrial harmony and stabilize the nation’s polity.
The Red Chamber equally has a unique function of impeachment of the President, Vice President, Federal Judges and other high officials of the Executives; including the Federal Auditor General, Members of the Independent National Electoral Commission and Federal Inland Revenue Commission.
The Senate confirms the President’s Nominations of Senior Diplomats, Members of the Federal Cabinet, Federal Judicial Appointments, Members of the Nation’s Electoral Commission and so on.
In discharging its Constitutional mandate, Section 62 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria (1999) empowers the Senate and the House of Representatives to appoint Committees of special and general purpose as may be considered expedient. Accordingly, members of the Senate are distributed into various Committees for the smooth discharge of their legislative duties. The Chamber has been in the vanguard of promoting Nigeria’s democratic ideals, peace, unity and development.
The Federal House of Representatives is one of the two Chambers that make up the Bicameral Legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is made up of 360 Members representing each of the Federal Constituencies of the country. Members of the Green Chamber, as it is popularly referred to are duly elected for a term of four years.
It is presided over by the Speaker, who is assisted by the Deputy Speaker and eight Principal Officers. They include Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Minority Leader, Deputy Minority Leader, Chief Whip, Deputy Chief Whip, Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip.
Since the Green Chamber equally operates the Committee System of Legislature, the 360 Members of the house are divided into several Special and Standing Committees based on their professional, educational and other experiences. The Committees are chaired by Chairmen who are assisted by Vice Chairmen and other Committee Members. The Committees conduct Legislative assignments on behalf of the Chamber and report their findings along with recommendations to the entire house for final decision.
Aside the discharge of its core mandate of lawmaking, representation and oversight, the House of Representatives has been a stabilizing force in the promotion of the nation’s democratic ideals, good governance and most importantly the resolution of industrial disputes between the Federal, State Governments and the Labour Unions.
Accordingly, the house has waded into the disputes between the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and a host of other professional Unions under the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).