By Erim Erim Egodo
Across Nigeria, constitutional democracy has become a phrase we repeat often, but rarely practice. From official statements to political colloquia, we celebrate our democratic credentials—but beneath the surface lies a system in which one arm of government reigns supreme while others are reduced to ceremonial significance. At the heart of this distortion lies the legislature.
A truly constitutional democracy is grounded on the doctrine of separation of powers, where each branch of government—the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary—operates with autonomy, providing checks and balances to safeguard the people’s will. But in Nigeria, the legislature, which ought to represent the conscience of the nation, has too often become an extension of the executive. This distortion exists not just at the federal level, but within our state governments as well.