Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has stressed the importance of an independent legislature in sustaining democratic governance, warning that a parliament that merely approves executive decisions without scrutiny weakens democracy.
Saraki made the remarks on Friday, during the June 12, 2026 edition of The Platform, a public policy forum organised by The Covenant Nation in Lagos.
Reflecting on his experience in the National Assembly, the former Senate President said democratic stability depends on having institutions capable of accommodating disagreements and resolving conflicts through debate rather than violence.
“Here is what democratic stability actually requires: that disagreement has somewhere to go. In societies without functional legislatures, conflict has nowhere to go except it’s resolved on the streets and in the barracks — or at worst, through the barrel of a gun,” Saraki said.
“But the parliament provides an arena where a divided country can argue — whether you’re from the North, South, Muslim, Christian — differences in views. You can argue and debate rather than resort to violence.”
He argued that lawmakers must be willing to challenge government proposals where necessary, noting that unquestioning approval of executive decisions undermines the constitutional role of parliament.
“So what I learned in those four years in the National Assembly is that a legislature that cannot say no is not a legislature at all.
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“A legislature which simply receives executive proposals, approves them without scrutiny, and goes home has not fulfilled its constitutional mandate. It is merely performing a ceremonial function. It’s an echo,” he said.
Saraki cautioned that democracies built on unquestioned compliance could face serious risks.
“A democracy made only of echoes is one election away from becoming something else entirely,” he stated.
The former Senate President also rejected the notion that legislative independence amounts to opposition against the government in power.
“The independence of the National Assembly is no rebellion against the government of the day,” he said.
“I say that so loud, having been elected to parliament for two terms now. I have been a victim — when you stand for an independent National Assembly, they say, ‘Ah, it is bad boy Saraki, he is against our government.’ It is not.”
According to him, an independent parliament strengthens the legitimacy of any administration by ensuring policies and decisions are subjected to rigorous scrutiny.
“We’re talking about how those institutions can do what they are meant to do in providing the mandate.
“Because if the National Assembly is independent, it is a very great thing that makes the government legitimate. Because a mandate that is never tested is one no one can trust,” he said.
“So how do you trust your government if it’s not a government subjected to questions?” Saraki asked.