A one-time Chairman of the Senate Services Committee, Senator Effiong Bob, will present his new book: The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday, February 7.
The event to be held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre in Kado, will be chaired by former Senate President, Senator David Mark, with the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, as the Special Guest of Honour and former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani as the Legislative Father of the day.
The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, will perform the book presentation, while the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, will lead other state governors as the Guest of Honour.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to deliver a special goodwill message at the event, which the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, and First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, are also expected to attend.
The Chairman of the presentation Planning Committee, Akpandem James, said members of the National and State Assemblies are to form the bulk of the audience, which will also have distinguished invitees from all walks of life.
The book contextualises the Nigerian legislature’s constitutional roles and responsibilities, framing it as a critical pillar of democratic governance.
It carefully charts the functions of the legislature, from law-making and representation to oversight and budgetary control, underscoring the foundational significance of the institution within Nigeria’s political system.
The book not only informs on the technical workings of the legislature, but also sets the thematic trajectory for exploring deeper systemic and personal burdens borne by legislators.
A key strength of the book is its authenticity and broad scope. By including voices from both national chambers and state legislatures, the author reveals how nomination bales, godfatherism and “pre-election walls” distort democratic processes even before lawmakers take office.
The discussion of godfatherism, particularly exposes how patronage politics undermines merit and compromises legislative independence in Nigeria’s evolving democracy.
The book details how powerful individuals or political overlords manipulate candidate selection and exert undue influence over legislators once in office, subordinating representatives to their personal interests rather than those of their constituents or constitutional mandates.
