Since Nigeria returned to democratic governance in 1999, the issues around separation of powers have remained contentious between the two arms of government – executive and legislature. Smarting from our recent history of military rule at the inception of this democratic dispensation, the executive arm perceived the legislature as important, yet constituting a cog in the wheel of governance with their ceaseless oversight of the executive arm. Still they had no choice as the parliament remains recognised in law.
The result is that mutual suspicion between the two arms of government ensued and became a recurring decimal in the country’s political evolution. Of course the most memorable of this cat and mouse relationship was during the era of late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo as Senate President and Umar Ghali Naábba as Speaker of the House of Representatives and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Other examples abound of the rancorous relationship between the executive and the legislature.
However, in the current ninth Senate, there seems to be a new understanding between the two arms of government, but the remarkable aspect of this is the novel advocacy by the senator representing Imo West senatorial zone, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. He has severally advocated that the three arms of government- namely executive, legislature and judiciary must devise a way to collaborate in the interest of the people.
To drive the point home, Senator Okorocha has remained a recurring decimal in Nigeria’s political firmament since the return to civilian rule. His towering status in the politics of this country was firmly established during the time of former President Obasanjo, as he came close to becoming the president of Nigeria. His political magic wand remains the mammoth support he enjoys across the country.
Having become a senator in the ninth senate, Owelle Okorocha is once again exhibiting his political wizardry in the red chamber, especially with his advocacy for a tripartite cooperation between the legislature and the other two arms of government – executive and judiciary. Realising the need for a harmonious relationship among the three arms of government, Senator Okorocha is advocating a platform that will bring them together towards achieving the ultimate goal of delivering good governance to the citizens.
This mutually-inclusive approach as he sees it will ensure that thorny issues affecting the polity are thrashed timeously and in a patriotic manner, and this advocacy has started yielding the expected result as the Senate has also bought into it.
A typical example was the retreat between the leadership of the executive and the legislative arms at the Presidential Villa Abuja sometimes last year. The parley was organised in line with the vision and proposition of Owelle Okorocha and the benefits are numerous, as the president and other participants felt elated at the positive outcome and possibilities that lie ahead of them.
It must be conceded that the art of democratic governance is anchored on the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances but the point must be made that countries always tend to adopt unique systems that can suit their peculiar circumstances and in the case of Nigeria, Senator Okorocha appears to be the contemporary Nigeria’s political sage. Or how else can one describe a politician who is always enunciating ideas and proffering solutions to solve intractable problems in the polity?
In ancient times we had political philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Karl Marx, Lenin and others who propagated various political theories, and in the present time we must begin to acknowledge men of ideas and thinkers like Senator Okorocha whose inclination always tilts towards finding answers to complex political problems. From experience and available information his political theories have been tested and worked in the best interest of the people.
While some pundits will naturally question the necessity for such synergy as propounded by Senator Okorocha, as they contend that it negates the principles of separation of powers and checks and balances, yet majority of the people hold the view that a developing country, especial one beset with dwindling oil revenues like Nigeria can do with less acrimonious leadership between the various arms of government.
They also believe that this is the only way the much-expected democracy dividends will cascade to the grassroots in record time, and to lend credence to this position President Muhammadu Buhari had at the executive-legislature retreat admitted to the gladness of participants that the cooperation that existed between the two arms over the last one year had enabled his administration to perform optimally for the benefit of Nigerians.
As Winston Churchill opined jaw-jaw is better than war-war, and this is the best way to characterise the new-found amity between the two arms of government and hopefully the third arm – judiciary will find a place in the union.
