By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
In what many see as a frank reality check, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has voiced deep concern over the growing burden placed on federal lawmakers due to the collapse of local government administration across Nigeria.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja, Gbajabiamila painted a picture of lawmakers caught between constitutional limitations and public expectations, describing the situation as a “paradigm of dysfunction and resentment” that is distorting the role of the legislature.
“Our lawmakers are now expected to dig boreholes, build schools, pay hospital bills, fix roads and offer direct empowerment—functions that should be the responsibility of local governments,” he said. “A legislator who fails to do these things might find it hard to survive politically.”
For many Nigerians, especially in rural and underserved areas, lawmakers have become de facto service providers—stepping in where local councils have failed. The consequence, Gbajabiamila warned, is a legislature distracted from its core constitutional duties of lawmaking, oversight, and representation.
“The Constitution never intended for legislators to become social service agencies. There are no resources allocated to us for that,” he stated. “Yet, we are constantly judged by what we can provide materially, not by the quality of laws we make or the policies we shape.”
He also highlighted how the situation fuels public misunderstanding of the legislature. “Civil society, the media, and constituents often question lawmakers over lack of infrastructure, but they overlook the fact that we do not control budgets for implementation. Even our oversight is retroactive—we only review what has already been done.”
Gbajabiamila acknowledged the only leverage legislators have is through the appropriations process—a tool he said is both misunderstood and criticized.
At the heart of the issue, he noted, is the collapse of the local government system, which has made it impossible for governance to reach the grassroots. He praised President Tinubu’s efforts to revive local governance through funding reform, autonomy, and stronger accountability frameworks.
“When local governments work as they were meant to, lawmakers can go back to making laws, shaping national policy, and holding the executive accountable,” he added.
He further called for a national dialogue on whether the current constitutional framework aligns with the expectations Nigerians place on their representatives.
“If we must continue to provide social services, then perhaps it’s time we reflect that role in the Constitution—so it comes with clear funding, structure, and accountability,” he proposed.
Gbajabiamila’s comments echo the frustration of many lawmakers quietly navigating the gap between public needs and constitutional constraints. As communities continue to lean heavily on federal legislators for survival, the former Speaker’s remarks have reopened a critical conversation: What should the role of a Nigerian lawmaker truly be—and who should be responsible for grassroots development?