A former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator, Gbenga Babalola, has traced the disappointing performance of the National Assembly to low level of literacy of some members.
Mr Babalola, who represented the Oyo North district in the last Senate, said many lawmakers were voted into power based on slot, without recourse to their educational and professional backgrounds.
He lamented the way most Nigerian politicians got the tickets to represent their constituency, which, according to him, were based on compensation.
Besides their level of literacy, the former senator also contended that the nation's democracy is threatened by the alleged laziness on the part of lawmakers and dearth of ideas from politicians.
Mr Babalola delivered a lecture at the press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Working against the law
Mr Babalola's lecture, ‘Sustaining Democracy through Good Legislation', was presented during the inauguration of some projects initiated by Gbenga Opadotun-led executive council of the state.
"I am sure that most of us are aware that legislative slots have now become a form of compensation to illiterate politicians, and as long as this continues, we will continue to have the same problem. We had had a situation in this country where we have a complete illiterate as a member of the National Assembly. To such a person, tell me where you begin to educate such a person on the act of the Assembly or governance," he said.
The lecturer noted that the nation's democracy will thrive if things are done properly at all levels in the three tiers of government in the country.
He said the process is under serious threat, as many members of the tiers are working in sharp contrast to the provision of the constitution guiding their actions.
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Many federal lawmakers are illiterate, says former senator
Many federal lawmakers are illiterate, says former senator
NigerianEye
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Thursday, July 07, 2011
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What good would educated legislooters do to us? Its better they are illiterates so that they will fear and respect us and the educated civil servants. But educated legislooters are showing us the citizens contempt and deception. Politics is about popularity be you educated or not...the people vote you either way...its there choice to have illiterates to represent them.
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