A Political Scientist in the 29th Faculty Lecture of the Faculty of the Social Sciences, University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Stephen Akinyemi Lafenwa, has raised critical concerns over what he described as the “taming” of Nigeria’s legislature in the Fourth Republic, warning that the trend threatens democratic consolidation and the rule of law.
Lafenwa, an Associate Professor of Public Administration, stated this on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, while delivering the Faculty Lecture titled, “Powerful but Tamed: The Travails of the Legislature in Nigeria’s Presidential Democracy”.
The lecture had in attendance academics, policymakers, researchers, civic leaders, family, and friends of the lecturers.
Arguing that although the legislature is structurally empowered in presidential systems, Lafenwa noted that Nigeria’s National Assembly has often appeared subjugated to the executive arm of government.
He identified autonomy, transparency, pluralism, and adherence to rule of law as core features of a functional legislature, noting that these principles have been undermined by executive overreach, political patronage, internal divisions, and a history of military authoritarianism.
The scholar identified the types of global legislatures to be: rubber-stamp legislatures, emerging legislatures, arena legislatures, and transformative legislatures.
He, however, proposed a new typology of legislatures, the “tamed legislature”, which he described as neither fully powerless nor entirely complicit, but one constrained by coercion and undue executive influence.
Lafenwa classified Nigeria’s type of legislature to be a “tamed legislature”, stressing that such a type of legislature could never allow legislators to be, at best, if at all they intend to carry out meaningful legislative functions.
“In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, legislative independence has been limited through manipulation, political control, and inducements from the executive. This produces a legislature that struggles to perform its oversight, law-making, and representative roles effectively”, he said.
He warned that such dominance erodes democratic checks and balances and risks sliding the country toward authoritarian governance.
Tracing the problem to decades of military rule, the lecturer noted that centralised power structures, intolerance for dissent, and weak democratic institutions inherited from the military era continue to shape legislative-executive relations.
He cited leadership instability, partisan interference, and a rising trend of defections to ruling parties as contemporary symptoms of this weakness.
According to the lecturer, less than 2 percent of bills introduced since 2023 have been passed, reflecting a lack of legislative vibrancy and agenda-setting.
The scholar listed the consequences of a subservient legislature to include: weak oversight and accountability, increased corruption and patronage, poor policy scrutiny and shallow debate, executive impunity, and public disillusionment and declining trust in institutions.
Despite the challenges, the lecture acknowledged key legislative successes since 1999, including: rejection of third-term bid for the presidency, doctrine of Necessity in 2010, passage of the FOI Act 2011, Petroleum Industry Act 2021, electoral reforms, and the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act.
“These moments show flashes of resilience and democratic commitment,” he stated.
To have a virile legislature, Lafenwa recommended strengthening legislative institutions, improving capacity, curbing corruption, and fostering constructive executive-legislative relations.
He also urged greater public engagement and the adoption of modern technology to enhance transparency.
“By reinforcing institutional independence and promoting accountability, Nigeria can build a legislature that truly embodies democratic ideals,” he concluded.
