Senate President, David Mark has taken a swipe at state legislators and described them as stooges of the governors while reviewing the activities of the legislators at the state level in the last 16 years of practicing democracy in Nigeria.
Mark stated this at the opening of a weeklong induction programme organised for newly elected state lawmakers by the National Institute for Legislative Studies in Abuja.
“As lawmakers, you must avoid holding your sessions in the council chambers of the Government Houses.
“It is ignoble to use the Mace outside the chamber or borrow local government legislative council Mace to conduct your affairs or resort to self help by using your Mace to perpetuate violence.”
“You must conduct your sittings in line with the provisions of the constitution and the extant rules of the House. As state legislators, you must restrain yourselves from the excessive use of the constitutional provision that empowers you to impeach either your speakers, executive governors or their deputies.”
He noted that impeaching a public elected official remained a very serious legislative process that must not be abused or taken for a joke.
“Impeachment is not designed for a few days exercise. Where it has become the last resort, it must be painstakingly conducted within the hallowed chamber of the parliament in accordance with the extant rules of the House and the constitution of the country.”
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