The term ‘August Visitor’ is usually used to describe the visit
of a highly dignified or important person or
an unexpected visitor with unusual importance and influence. And such is the
only way to term the last month’s visit of the delegation of United States
Congressmen to Nigeria. The importance of this meeting between the US
Congressmen and the Nigerian National Assembly led by the Senate President, Dr.
Abubakar Bukola Saraki is one that Nigerians will not forget in a hurry.
What makes the occasion more remarkable is that since the return
of democracy in Nigeria 18 years ago, this particular visit had the largest
delegation of visiting Legislators from the US; a pointer to the fact that the
United States of America and the International Community as a whole are
starting to notice the giant strides of Nigeria’s Parlament.
The leadership of the National Assembly has without doubt brought
an improved level of Openness, Participation and Transparency to Government
decision making, especially in the areas of Oversight and Accountability. This
singular act has gone a long way in helping Nigeria earn the trust and respect
of the global community. It is therefore no surprise that with the visit of the
delegation of US congressmen, the issue of sales of fighter jets to Nigeria and
other human right issues which have since been outstanding will be immediately
addressed. The importance of this meeting is such that the global community now
has a new found respect for the Nigerian National Assembly, the Nigerian
Government, Nigerians and Nigeria at large.
In the past, the US had expressed grave reservations about the
sale of arms to Nigeria stemming from the fact that the latter’s leadership was
largely seen as lackadaisical and viewed with a certain level of cynicism. This
could be traced to the lack of an active role of the Parliament in key decision
making in the past, a view which may have been seen as a step away from proper
democracratic tenets and ideals. It is particularly noteworthy that at the time
the meeting took place, the Nigerian National Assembly and the US Congress were
both on recess but as Chairman of the 8th National Assembly and President of
the Senate, Saraki understood the importance of such congressional visit and
was able to mobilize and assemble a high level delegation from both chambers of
the federal legislature to receive the August Visitors.
The world is a vast place and for members of the US Congress, arguably
the most powerful and influential Legislature in the world to see the
importance to interrupt their recess to visit Nigeria and the Nigerian
Parliament, then it leaves to imagination the ripple effects of this move to
the rest of the world. The present National Assembly and in particular the 8th
Senate has done well in delivering democratic dividends and mirroring the real
values of democracy to the world in general. Another international feat
recorded recently was the visit of a delegation led by the Senate President to
Berlin, Germany in March and how the visit kicked off bilateral discussions on
alternate power and energy production in Nigeria by German companies in
partnership with Nigerian enterprises. This move if actualised, can be a major
economic boost to the country, particularly in the area of provision of the
much desired stable power supply for a more productive economy.
Furthermore, another pointer towards the recognition of the
present National Assembly internationally was the visit of the delegation of
over 40 Chinese businessmen to Nigeria. Without blowing the trumpet of the
leadership of the Senate, these visits and international exchanges show that
the Senate understands the language of business and the grave importance of a
strong, viirile economy in a democracy. These strategic moves did not just
begin with the visits of different international bodies and organizations to
Nigeria but points to the efforts by the Nigerian Legislature and its
leadership to ensure that business in Nigeria is operated in a serene,
conducive and less-cumbersome environment.
The visit to the Made-In-Aba Trade Fair and the invitation of the
owner of Innoson Motors, an indigenous automobile manufacturing company to the
Senate and ultimately, the amendment of the Public Procurement Act all remain
visible. It is needless to state that without doubt, these important
legislative interventions by the Senate have won the hearts of international
institutions around the world and may have been one of the reasons for the
visit of the US Congress to the Nigerian National Assembly. As the Senate
resumes from recess, it is expected that some of the gains and benefits of the
meeting with the US Congressmen will be unveiled as the attendant positive
effects on the nation’s economy and security cannot be over – emphasized.
Bamikole
Omishore is the Special Assistant on New Media to the Senate President, Bukola
Saraki.
By Bamikole Omishore