policies, certainly (Saffell, 1989; Verney, 1969). The power to debate, deliberate, mold and/or amend the annual budgetary appropriation proposal presented by the executive president is hence the opportunity to shape the state policies and influence governance. In this manner, the central legislature ultimately collaborates with the executive to meet the aspirations of the governed. This legislature’s role in budgetary appropriation proposal, therefore, in a state where lack of institutional accountability and participatory policy-making under successive military regimes bred mismanagement of national resources and dysfunctional public policy, is of an uttermost imperative. With the legislature-executive collaboration on budgetary appropriation under the democratic Nigeria’s fourth republic the economic crisis and erosion of national cohesion under the juntas should be reversed. There is yet the power to impose tax or duty vested in the National Assembly, stipulated in section 163 of the 1999 constitution. And the legislature is given power to intervene in the judicial administration. For instance, the power to indicate cases in which appeals may be right, cases arising from judgments in the court of appeal to be referred to the Supreme Court, is vested in the National Assembly by the provisions of section 233 and sub-section 21. The legislature is also given the power to override executive veto on any bill. Where the legislature decides to make a bill it has passed have the full force of law, it can decide to use its two-thirds majority power to pass the bill into law. Consequently, the bill so passed by the two-thirds members of the National Assembly will no longer require presidential assent to become a law. Considering the enormous constitutional powers vested in the central
policies, certainly (Saffell, 1989; Verney, 1969). The power to debate, deliberate, mold and/or amend the annual budgetary appropriation proposal presented by the executive president is hence the opportunity to shape the state policies and influence governance. In this manner, the central legislature ultimately collaborates with the executive to meet the aspirations of the governed. This legislature’s role in budgetary appropriation proposal, therefore, in a state where lack of institutional accountability and participatory policy-making under successive military regimes bred mismanagement of national resources and dysfunctional public policy, is of an uttermost imperative. With the legislature-executive collaboration on budgetary appropriation under the democratic Nigeria’s fourth republic the economic crisis and erosion of national cohesion under the juntas should be reversed. There is yet the power to impose tax or duty vested in the National Assembly, stipulated in section 163 of the 1999 constitution. And the legislature is given power to intervene in the judicial administration. For instance, the power to indicate cases in which appeals may be right, cases arising from judgments in the court of appeal to be referred to the Supreme Court, is vested in the National Assembly by the provisions of section 233 and sub-section 21. The legislature is also given the power to override executive veto on any bill. Where the legislature decides to make a bill it has passed have the full force of law, it can decide to use its two-thirds majority power to pass the bill into law. Consequently, the bill so passed by the two-thirds members of the National Assembly will no longer require presidential assent to become a law. Considering the enormous constitutional powers vested in the central
Fashagba-on-the-Nigerian-Legislature-APSA-2012.docx