Legislative Oversight and Good Governance: A Study of the Nigeria 9th Senate, 2019 - 2023

Abstract

Legislative oversight and good governance is very essential to promote accountability, transparency and rule of law in Nigeria. The study examined the role of Nigeria 9th Senate in using legislative oversight to promote good governance in Nigeria. The research adopted the principal-Agent in discussing it theoretical framework, it further adopted descriptive method which use primary source of data via questionnaire to elicit for information. Taro – Yammne formular was the technique sampling using for the research. The study revealed that the 9th senate scored low in the performance of their legislative oversight functions while the senate demonstrated fair independence in carrying out their legislative oversight functions. It was revealed that the senate has the capacity to conduct comprehensive reviews of government programmes, policies and projects. However, the legislative oversight can only investigate and expose but lack the legal power to prosecute. More so, legislative resolutions are not blinding on the executive arm making its exercise in futility. Corruption and personal interest was discovered as the major challenge of legislative oversight and good governance in Nigeria. The study recommends among others that public hearings and investigation should not be a witch hunting tool and the outcome should be made public and recommendations implanted. Serious efforts must be made to strengthen the institutional capacity and capabilities of anti-corruption agencies. The senate must establish a strong institutional procedures for legislative actions that will be independent of executive interference in conducting its oversight functions, enactment of laws and passing of resolutions, investigation on allegations of poor administration and abuse of power and confirmation of appointee of the executive should be merit-based. Finally, the Senate should phase out the traditional method of voice vote and replace with an electronic voting system that enables the general public to know their respective stand on national issues.