A Study of Legislative-Executive Relations in Nigeria, 8th National Assembly

Abstract

This study examined legislative-executive relations in Nigeria 8th National Assembly. The study was motivated by the strained relationship that characterized previous sessions and the need to device an effective mechanism for a harmonious legislative-executive relation. Therefore, the specific objectives were to: examine the history of legislative-executive in Nigeria, examine the nature of legislative-executive relations in the 8th National Assembly and how it affected legislation during the covered period, and suggest strategies to improve legislative-executive relations in Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed research design, employing the purposive sampling technique. Therefore, quantitative and qualitative methods of data collected were used. The respondents who provided the primary data were selected using purposive sampling technique, while secondary data were taken from government gazettes, legislative Hansards, journals, newspapers, term papers, books, materials from the internet, and archival documents on legislative-executive relations. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 16.0) was used to analyze quantitative data while content analysis was employed in analyzing qualitative data. Findings from the analysis showed that there are institutional roles prescribed for each arm of government (executive and legislature), and that over the years this principle of separation of powers have not enjoyed proper application in the Nigeria political practices. However, the study identified that the relationship between the legislature and the executive suffered excessive friction in the 8th National Assembly which also affected legislation, as the interference of the Executive in legislative business led the legislature to exert undue delays on executive demands. Stemming from the above, to enhance legislative-executive relations and create room for effective legislation, the study suggested discouraging pride and personality clashes, abiding by the dictates of the constitution, fashioning strategies for the execution of overlapping functions, amongst others, as strategies to enhance legislative-executive relations and effective legislation for improved national development.