Dino Melaye, former senator, has accused the 10th national assembly of failing to check President Bola Tinubu’s powers, alleging that the legislature has become subservient to the executive.
Melaye, who is the deputy director-general for contact and
mobilisation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign,
threatened to organise an “Occupy National Assembly” protest if lawmakers fail
to take steps to check Tinubu’s powers within 14 days.
Melaye issued the ultimatum at a press conference in Abuja
on Wednesday, titled ‘The 10th Assembly: The Pathway to Tinubu’s Lifetime
Presidency’.
“We are giving the national assembly 14 days to respond in
corrective lines to all our demands and all grey areas where they have
disappointed Nigeria and Nigerians; failure to do so, we will march on the
national assembly, and it will be very loud,” Melaye said.
The former lawmaker claimed that the legislature’s handling
of several controversies involving executive power, electoral reform, budget
implementation and constitutional procedures raised questions about its
independence.
He warned that a presidency could become increasingly
entrenched when institutions designed to restrain presidential power fail to
perform that responsibility.
“A lifetime presidency does not begin with the abolition of
term limits. It begins when the institutions created to restrain a President
stop restraining him,” Melaye said.
The ADC chieftain said Nigeria’s constitution established
separate arms of government to prevent the concentration of state power in one
individual.
“The president possesses enormous executive power.
Parliament controls legislation, appropriation and oversight. The courts
interpret the law. Each arm must respect the others, but none was created
merely to validate the wishes of another,” he said.
Melaye clarified that his criticism was not an argument
against cooperation between the executive and legislature, but against what he
described as the failure to maintain institutional independence.
“This is not an argument that parliament must oppose
everything the president proposes. Cooperation between the executive and
legislature is constitutional and necessary. But cooperation is different from
submission,” he said.
MELAYE QUESTIONS POLICE ACT AMENDMENT
The former senator cited the amendment to the Nigeria Police
Act in July 2024 as one of the episodes that, in his view, raised concerns
about the legislature’s scrutiny of executive proposals.
He said the amendment, initiated by Tinubu, allowed an
inspector-general of police to remain in office until the expiration of the
tenure specified in his appointment letter, notwithstanding the ordinary
retirement provisions.
Melaye questioned why the bill passed through three readings
in both chambers on the same day.
“One day. Three readings. Two chambers. What urgency
required an Executive Bill governing the tenure of the Inspector-General of
Police to travel from introduction to final passage through both chambers in a
single day?” he queried.
Melaye also faulted the national assembly’s handling of the
declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers state in March 2025.
He questioned the use of voice votes by both chambers to
approve the proclamation, arguing that the process did not establish whether
the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of all members had been
secured.
“When the Constitution requires two-thirds of all members,
should Nigerians not be entitled to know precisely who constituted that
two-thirds?” he asked.
The ADC chieftain also raised concerns over a proposal
announced by Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, in June 2026, to introduce a
single six-year tenure for presidents and governors.
He said the timing and transitional provisions of any
constitutional amendment would be crucial, particularly if the proposal were
considered after the 2027 general election.
“Would the single six-year term apply prospectively only to
Presidents elected after the amendment?” Melaye asked.
“Would a president elected in 2027 under a four-year
constitutional mandate remain bound to that four-year mandate?”
He said Nigerians should scrutinise any proposed alteration
of presidential tenure before it was enacted.
“Nigeria must never reach the stage where the tenure of an
incumbent president is altered first and explained afterwards,” Melaye added.
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