David Mark Mentions What Nigerian Senate Has Turned into Since Emergence of Akpabio, Tinubu

• David Mark criticised the Nigerian Senate for losing its independence, accusing it of becoming a praise-singing body under Tinubu and Akpabio’s leadership
• He warned that the legislature’s weakened role poses a threat to democracy, enabling the executive to implement harmful policies unchecked
• Mark said the ADC-led coalition was formed to restore accountability, describing it as a movement of Nigerians united to rescue democratic governance

FCT, Abuja - Former senate president and interim national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has accused the Nigerian Senate of losing its independence.

The ex-senate president further accused the Nigerian senate of becoming subservient to the executive arm of government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking at the official unveiling of the ADC as the adopted political platform for a coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections, Mark expressed serious concern over what he described as the "emasculation" of the National Assembly.

National Assembly now reduced to praise singers

According to Mark, the legislature, which ought to serve as a check on executive power, has been reduced to “cheerleaders of the executive.”

He lamented that never in Nigeria’s democratic history has the National Assembly appeared so weak and ineffective.

“The National Assembly, whose members are supposed to be trustees of our democracy, has abandoned its oversight responsibilities,” he said.

Mark: Current Senate danger to democracy, growing insecurity

Mark warned that this shift in the legislature’s role poses a major threat to Nigeria’s democratic system, Daily Trust reported.

He stated that the current lack of scrutiny and accountability enables the executive to impose harmful policies without resistance.

“This is why whimsical and unconstitutional decisions are now made with impunity, leading to deepening poverty and widening insecurity,” he added.

ADC coalition formed to ‘save soul of the Republic’

Mark further described the ADC-led coalition as a national movement of like-minded political parties, civil society groups, youth associations, and concerned Nigerians who are determined to rescue Nigeria’s democracy and governance.

He said the coalition’s mission is to restore accountability, justice, and constitutional order to the nation’s political process.

Akpabio defends cordial relationship with executive

In response to ongoing criticism, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the relationship between the National Assembly and the presidency, insisting that confrontation is not the role of legislators, Vanguard reported.

Speaking in a recent documentary to mark two years of the Tinubu administration, Akpabio said,

“When elected into the National Assembly, your constituents will not give you boxing gloves. It’s not a boxing tournament.”

Senate President insists unity is for national interest

Akpabio stressed that the cooperative relationship between the two arms of government is essential for national development.

“If you spend all your energy fighting the Executive, who will work for Nigeria?” he asked.

While Akpabio maintained that unity ensures progress, critics like Mark believe that unchecked alignment with the Executive only deepens public suffering and undermines democratic accountability.

Primate Ayodele says Atiku'll be ADC's 2027 presidential candidate

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the spiritual head of the INRI Evangelical Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, predicted that Atiku Abubakar would be picked as the candidate of the anti-President Bola Tinubu coalition.

The Lagos-based cleric said this recently in a video posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng