Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, has warned that introducing a part-time legislature would weaken Nigeria’s democracy. Responding to recent calls for the country to adopt a part-time parliamentary system, Adaramodu asserted that reducing legislative activities would amount to reducing democratic engagement.
In an interview on Channels Television on Friday, the Ekiti South Senator stressed that converting the current full-time system to part-time would jeopardize the integrity of democratic governance. “If we turn the parliament into a part-time institution, we’re effectively putting democracy on hold,” he said.
Adaramodu emphasized that the 109 Senators and 360 House of Representatives members play critical roles that go beyond lawmaking. According to him, lawmakers also conduct oversight functions and represent the direct interests of their constituents. He noted that among the three arms of government, the legislature remains the most accessible to Nigerians.
“We regularly return to our constituencies,” he explained. “Our people reach out to us for support—whether it’s for naming ceremonies or building projects. If we remove that connection by making parliament part-time, who will they turn to?”
He concluded that the National Assembly must remain fully active to ensure proper representation and accountability in governance.