Shehu Sani, former Kaduna Central senator, says Nigerians pay too much attention to who becomes president while caring less about those elected into legislative offices.
Sani spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme while discussing his decision to return to the Senate.
The former lawmaker said Nigerians often underestimate the importance of the national assembly and state legislatures in shaping governance and national development.
“The very fact is that Nigerians are more concerned about who becomes the president of the country; they don’t usually take seriously who becomes their lawmakers,” he said.
According to Sani, the quality of lawmakers elected into the Senate, House of Representatives, and state assemblies directly affects governance and democratic accountability.
“If you have a vibrant senate, a potent senate, if you have one that respects its integrity, is independent and respects the sanctity of its identity, you will have good governance in the country,” he said.
Sani argued that the country’s recurring governance challenges partly stem from the failure of voters to scrutinise candidates seeking legislative offices.
“But for the fact that people are only interested in who becomes the president, and don’t care who becomes senators, members of the house of representatives or members of the house of assembly, always leads us to a lot of trouble as a country,” he said.
The former senator added that a strong and independent parliament is critical to national stability and prosperity.
“A quality national assembly, a qualitative parliament, is as important as the stability of the country and also the prosperity of the nation,” he said.
