A civil society group, Voters Awareness Initiative (VAI) on Thursday asked the members of the National Assembly to adhere to the principle of separation of powers.
VAI made the call while reacting to Wednesday’s suspension of the recruitment process into the 774,000 Federal Government jobs for unemployed Nigerians by the National Assembly.
The lawmakers suspended the exercise following a disagreement with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, on modalities for the exercise.
In a statement issued by its president, Wale Ogunade, the group described the suspension of the selection process into the 774,000 jobs as “anti-people.”
VAI said: “It is a negation of the principle of Separation of Power as entrenched in 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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“The drafters of the 1999 Constitution were clear-headed when they conferred on the National Assembly powers on oversight functions.
“However, that power does not in any way accord the legislature power to usurp the function of any of the two arms of government. The so-called ‘order’ issued by NASS suspending the process is tantamount to over-reaching themselves which is capable of undermining the democratic process.
“Sections 4, 5 and 6 of the 1999 Constitution as amended clearly define the scope and powers of each of the arms of government.”
The group added that the legislature can only interrogate actions of the executive and not to order or direct the executive on how the business of government is conducted.
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