The Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly and the Senate Spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, has firmly stood against the growing calls for Nigeria to adopt a part-time parliamentary system, asserting that such a move would undermine the nation’s democracy.

Adaramodu, who spoke on Channels Television on Friday, argued that any attempt to transition the National Assembly to a part-time legislature would be equivalent to putting Nigeria’s democracy on “Part-time.”

The lawmaker emphasised that among the three arms of government—executive, judiciary, and legislature—the legislature remains the most accessible to ordinary Nigerians.

“If the parliament is part-time, then it means democracy is on part-time,” he said. “There is no democracy that derides its parliament and thrives.”

READ ALSO:

However, Adaramodu maintained that no level of cost-cutting should affect the statutory allocations to lawmakers, warning that such measures could erode democratic functions.

“Lawmakers are not just law-makers; we perform oversight functions and serve as advocates for our constituents,” the senator explained.

“We go home almost every time. When our people give birth, they ask us for naming ceremony funds. When they build houses, they come to us for help. So, if the parliament was not there, who do you expect our constituents would run to?”

Addressing suggestions that lawmakers could still be paid the same if they operated on a part-time basis, Adaramodu questioned the rationale behind such proposals and reiterated that legislative duties extend beyond sitting in chambers.

“If we are on part-time, can’t the same amount of money be paid to part-time legislators?” he asked rhetorically, underscoring the intensity of legislative responsibilities.