Dare Babalola
Prominent activist Aisha Yesufu has rebuked members of the National Assembly, accusing the legislative body of abandoning its constitutional mandate amid spiraling insecurity, poverty, and corruption across the country.
In an open letter on Monday, Yesufu lambasted lawmakers for acting as a “rubber stamp assembly” instead of representing the people who elected them.
The letter criticised the parliamentarians for their deafening silence on the worsening security situation where Nigerians are “hunted like animals” in homes, schools, markets, and on roads.
“Nowhere is safe in Nigeria and no one is safe in Nigeria,” Yesufu wrote, questioning why the legislators haven’t leveraged their protected parliamentary platform to raise alarms.
“As a citizen, I am dismayed and disappointed by the National Assembly’s failure to fulfil its constitutional duties,” she added.
Yesufu reminded the lawmakers of their core responsibilities – lawmaking, oversight, confirming nominations, and holding the executive accountable – stressing these duties are being neglected.
“The legislative arm is supposed to be the activist in government. The voice for the voiceless,” she emphasized, noting their immunity should empower them to speak boldly for Nigerians.
Instead, she accused them of prioritizing “fancy dinners” and trivial matters, “majoring in the minor” while citizens suffer.
The activist outlined five urgent demands for the National Assembly: convene an emergency session on insecurity; investigate security lapses and agency failures; hold the executive accountable for protection failures; pass legislation to strengthen security and address root causes of violence; and summon President Bola Tinubu to a joint session to account for protection efforts.
“The National Assembly must wake up to its responsibilities and act in the best interests of Nigerians,” Yesufu demanded.
In the strongly-worded letter, she declared, “Every member of the National Assembly should bow his or her head in shame, for you all have collectively failed the people of Nigeria.”
Yesufu concluded with a defiant message, “We will not be silenced or intimidated. We will continue to demand accountability and good governance.”
