According to the report from the Sun, the reinstated Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II decried the lack of effectiveness and accountability in Nigeria's legislature, arguing that many members prioritize personal benefits over their legislative duties.
He highlighted the role of allowances, perks, and contract opportunities in attracting individuals to positions in the National Assembly, creating a culture of personal enrichment that distracts from their primary roles as lawmakers.
He emphasized the corrosive effects of this dynamic on the budgeting process and the ability of legislators to act as a check on the executive branch.
He said, "If you go to the Senate and the House of Representatives, and you are there for 16 years and you have never passed a bill, you don’t even know that your job is to be a lawmaker; you are going to the House of Reps because you want a car, because you want allowances, because you want to be in Abuja and get contracts. How will the system ever work? If the president brings a budget and the National Assembly, which is supposed to do appropriation, all it’s saying is, ‘okay, we’ll approve everything you come with if you also approve X for us’, how will the system work? Legislators are doing constituency projects."