Executive-Legislature rift, healthy for democracy

Just like Samson's riddle in the holy Bible "something to eat coming out of something strong", same can be said of the recent impasse and cold war engaging the two arms of government, due to some of its perceived advantages, one can rightly say that in another light, it is healthy for our democracy. It […]

Just like Samson's riddle in the holy Bible "something to eat coming out of something strong", same can be said of the recent impasse and cold war engaging the two arms of government, due to some of its perceived advantages, one can rightly say that in another light, it is healthy for our democracy. It is general knowledge that a rift between two arms of government in a democracy is counterproductive, however, I will love to take the liberty of examining another pros to this by taking a close shave look at the other side of the coin.

It is popular saying and succinctly meaningful too, that when life gives you too much lemon, you don't quiver but learn how to make lemonade and I can on the strength of that, opine that the situations and the impasse between the duo is already making lemonade by itself, one that Nigeria as a nation could gladly drink from.

The impasse between the two arms of government is one that came to be with the advent of the present administration coming into power, which lots of analysts and opinion writers have gracefully attributed to the varied interests within the ruling party. This development is also seen to be resultant from the party's formation in the first place. It is also a truism that the membership of the ruling party comprises of persons who decamped from other parties to forge the great alliance that culminated in the ruling party. It is also seemingly true that these party members came with interests which had been constantly causing friction even within the party.

The impasse began during the election of the Senate leadership that saw the Senate President elected and since then, it's been an issue or the other, needless to mention as all of them form parts of trending issues everyday within the country.

The most recent of all was triggered by the nomination of the EFCC chairman, by the presidency, his screening and rejection by the Senate which saw the executive ready to go to war with the legislative arm.

What is worth noting here is the manner the cold war is being fought. The fight is both waged on personal turf and also collectively. Of note is the feud between the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor of Kaduna state that has seen the two bringing their pay package to the public, the same information which had been a well-guarded secret. These revelations are healthy for democracy.

Most times, peaceful coexistence and cooperation between arms of government had been confused with collusion and connivance to deny the masses of the goods they can get if all went fine.

Worthy of note is that our democracy is a young one that can be described as a trial by error, ultimately marred by corruption from high and low.

Recent governments have by conniving and colluding within arms of government had even gone to the extent of selling the future of this nation and that's what birthed the anti-corruption crusade.

I am of the opinion that this little impasse had opened up a can of worms and revelations flooded the nation, critical information coming to light as the duo fights to expose each other in a bit to exert supremacy and dominance over the other.

Worthy of note also is that the impasse, being a cold war has not affected their performances and their working together when the need arises, and in fact, it has gone on ahead to spur both sides to stand on their oars and deliver.

Tsaku Jocelyn Asheovye, Abuja.