A former member of the House of Representatives, Bade Falade, has lamented the rising trend of former governors becoming lawmakers, saying most of them end up as liabilities to the National Assembly and their constituents.

Falade, who represented Ede, Ejigbo, and Egbedore Federal Constituency of Osun State in the Green Chamber, expressed concern that the National Assembly is gradually turning into a dumping ground for politicians who have completed their governorship tenures.

The former member of the 6thNational Assembly stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Osogbo during a programme tagged “The Frontliners,” organised by the League of Veteran Journalists, Osun State, on Thursday.

He said members of the National Assembly can only achieve meaningful legislative turnover that positively impacts citizens’ lives if the incessant rotation of legislators, under the guise of political zoning, is curtailed.

According to him, legislative functions require years of learning to make significant contributions in the hallowed chamber.

The former lawmaker criticised some state governors who view the National Assembly as a retirement haven after their tenure, adding that many of them end up becoming liabilities because they lack experience in lawmaking.

Meanwhile, Falade urged Nigerians to focus less on the monthly emoluments and luxury cars of lawmakers and instead appreciate the enormity of their oversight functions, particularly the blocking of financial leakages, which ultimately benefits citizens by ensuring the dividends of democracy.

Acknowledging the economic hardship plaguing Nigerians, he advised them to remain patient, persevere, and have confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, assuring that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

He explained that President Tinubu inherited a skewed system where a select group benefited at the expense of the masses, adding that the current administration is the best hope for the upward transformation of Nigeria’s socio-economic landscape.

On the feud between the former governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, and his successor, Gboyega Oyetola, Falade noted that major stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State are working to resolve the situation to reposition the party ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

The former lawmaker condemned the current method of local government elections, where the ruling party wins all positions through questionable means. He warned that such practices are detrimental to the third tier of government, which is closest to the grassroots.

Falade advocated for the independence of state electoral commissions to ensure credible elections.

The APC chieftain also attributed Nigeria’s stunted growth to the abandonment of uncompleted projects by successive administrations, stressing that government is a continuum.

Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Sunday Ojo Williams, remarked that the lack of political ideologies in Nigeria encourages politicians to frequently switch parties for personal gain. (The Guardian)