The lawmaker representing Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency of Delta State, Benedict Etanabene, has accused many politicians of focusing more on impressing President Bola Tinubu than serving Nigerians.
Etanabene, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, made the statement during an interview on Arise Television on Saturday. His comment followed the recent passage of the State Police Bill, which he criticised as rushed. He said lawmakers did not have enough time to properly study and debate the legislation.
Rep speaks on politicians’ priorities
Etanabene said some politicians now care more about gaining the approval of their leaders than making decisions that will benefit citizens.
“Many politicians are more focused on impressing President Tinubu than serving citizens. They want to be praised by their leaders.”
He said the desire to impress political leaders has also affected how some politicians deal with their opponents. According to him, some are more interested in showing their leaders what they have done to political rivals than considering whether their actions are right or wrong.
“When people gather, they want to be able to say, look at what I did to that person. Whether what they did was right or wrong is not their concern. What matters is getting the approval and praise of their leaders.”
Lawmaker questions State Police Bill process
Speaking about the State Police Bill, Etanabene said opposition lawmakers were not against the executive version of the legislation. However, he said lawmakers needed enough time to study the document and debate it clause by clause before taking a decision.
“Many opposition party members would have even voted for the executive version of the State Police Bill. But even at that stage, what we were concerned about is: can we debate clause by clause? Because as opposition party member, we had the document.”
Etanabene explained that lawmakers had already considered an earlier version of the bill. They later ended discussions on that version before the executive introduced a new one. He said the executive introduced the new bill on a Wednesday. By Thursday, lawmakers had already received instructions to pass it, leaving them little time to examine its provisions.
“Don’t forget that this bill was passed some months back, and by the Wednesday of that week, we came and receded it. The life of that one that we have been discussing before came to an end, and one was introduced by the executive that Wednesday, and by Thursday we have been told that we needed to pass it.”
The lawmaker said some members stayed awake to study the new bill and examine it clause by clause. He explained that they had to work through the night because lawmakers had very little time to consider the document.
“Some of us didn’t sleep that night because we went clause by clause looking at it and trying to rush it, but that’s not how it is supposed to be. We’re just trying to see how we can meet up with the pattern,” he said.
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