State legislators are rubber stamps of executive, says Mark

Senate President David Mark has expressed regret that state legislatures in Nigeria are rubber stamps of the executive arms of government in their respective states.
Declaring open the 2015 induction certificate course for new legislators in Abuja on Monday, he tasked legislators to avoid holding sessions in Government Houses.
While charging them not to be stooges of their governors, the Senate president harped on the need for them to exercise restraint in the impeachment of their speakers, executive governors or their deputies.
He, however, called for synergy between the executive and state legislature on matters of public good.
“It is ignoble to use the mace outside the chamber or borrow local government legislative council mace to conduct your affairs or resort to self help by using your mace to perpetuate violence. You must conduct your sittings in line with the provisions of the constitution and the extant rules of the House.
“Impeaching a public elected official is a very serious legislative process and must not be abused or taken for a joke. Impeachment is not designed for a few days exercise. Where it has become the last resort, it must be painstakingly conducted within the hallowed chamber of the parliament in accordance to the extant rules of the House and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he affirmed.
Mark also charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to carry out a comprehensive review of the just-concluded 2015 general elections.