By Khalid Idris Doya
The convener of a colloquium organised to commemorate the 68th birthday of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, Hon. Atiku Ali, has observed that decisions taken by a serving senator from a particular senatorial district can have far-reaching consequences for Nigerians across the country.
Atiku stated this yesterday while delivering his welcome address at the colloquium held at the Ahmadu Bello International Conference Centre (ICC), Bauchi.
The event, which attracted academics, politicians, businessmen and community leaders from across the country, had as its theme: "The Nigerian Senate Yesterday, Today and the Future of Representative Legislation."
According to him, although a senator is elected to represent a particular district, the decisions of the Senate affect the entire federation.
"A senator is elected from a district, but the effect of Senate decisions can reach every Nigerian anywhere. At our first gathering, I cited a thought about history. It influences the present and shapes the future. That is the movement of our theme today," he said.
He explained that the theme was designed to encourage reflection on the history and performance of the Nigerian Senate, its current responsibilities and what should be expected from the institution in the future.
"Yesterday invites us to study the Senate record. Today asks whether legislation, oversight and representation answer the needs of citizens. The future calls for a chamber equipped to address public debt, insecurity, technology, employment and the changing demands of our federation," Atiku said.
He recalled the constitutional crisis that followed the illness of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, noting that Senator Bala Mohammed, who then represented Bauchi South in the Sixth National Assembly, was part of a legislature that responded to the crisis through what became known as the Doctrine of Necessity.
The doctrine, he said, enabled the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, to exercise presidential powers as Acting President.
"It was a moment in which senators considered their obligation to the entire federation beyond their constituency and party. The lesson is larger than one episode or one senator," he said.
According to him, the Doctrine of Necessity demonstrated how the National Assembly could respond to a national crisis while operating within the constitutional framework.
"The Doctrine of Necessity shows how the Senate, working within the National Assembly, can help resolve a national crisis. No single constituency carries the entire burden of the federation," Atiku said.
He therefore called on the National Assembly to defend constitutional order, guard against the abuse of public trust and maintain well-established procedural standards in the discharge of its responsibilities.
The convener described the colloquium as the beginning of what he hoped would become an annual platform for meaningful discussions on public policy, governance and sustainable development.
He said the event also provided an opportunity to examine innovative governance and sustainable practices associated with the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed.
"We explored the role of innovative governance and sustainable practices, a legacy of my outgoing predecessor, His Excellency Senator Bala. We considered the promise of better education, healthcare, infrastructure, inclusion and economic opportunity.
"Above all, we asked whether the government was improving the lives of the people it serves," he said.
Atiku noted that although Governor Bala Mohammed is now the Governor of Bauchi State and no longer a serving senator, his experiences and interventions in national debates provide a useful basis for examining the responsibilities of representative leaders and public institutions.
"His Excellency, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, is now Governor of Bauchi State, not a serving senator. His interventions in national debates nevertheless offer a useful lens through which to consider what representative leadership requires of institutions and office holders," he said.
He further recalled that Governor Bala Mohammed had, at different times, supported some federal initiatives while criticising others, particularly on issues relating to economic management, inclusion and the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
He said the governor had, since the commencement of the economic reforms, raised concerns about the effects of fuel subsidy removal, rising prices, declining purchasing power and proposed tax reforms.
“In 2024, Governor Bala warned of anger and hunger and said that the new policy thrust of the Federal Government was not working. He also recognised that the problems facing citizens are shared by leaders at the federal, state and local levels.
“During the tax reform debate, his appeal was that he be listened to. The Federal Government defended these reforms and disputed His Excellency’s assessment,” Atiku said.
He stressed that such differences in policy positions deserved serious examination, particularly because government policies had direct consequences for ordinary citizens.
"A family buying food does not experience inflation as an abstract matter. A young entrepreneur preparing for an exam feels policy through the cost of staying in business. This is precisely the reality a representative senator must bring into legislative committees."
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