Judiciary Intimidating Legislature – Dogara
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday said the judiciary is interfering in the constitutional duties and oversight functions of the legislative arm of government through flagrant court orders.
Commenting on a motion tagged “Breach of Privilege of the House,” by Hon. Razak Atunwa (Kwara), Dogara said the series of interference amount to ‘intimidation’ of the legislature by the judiciary, despite the democratic principle of separation of powers.
“Everybody knows lawyers and non lawyer alike, that democracy rests on the rule of law, checks and balances, and separation of powers. Separation of powers means that none of the three arms should gag the other. The legislature cannot gag the judiciary; it is the judiciary that is intimidating the legislature. Tell them that parliament said so,” Dogara said to the applause of other members.
Dogara said the House would resist every attempt to be dictated to by the judicial arm of government, which according to him, was capable of subverting the wishes of the people, sovereignty of the legislature and the essential features of democracy.
