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<p>By Abba Anwar</p><div class="18xPp9W8" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>The management of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara state, shopped for an individual politician, whose intervention cuts across all sections of the country, with vigor, informed scholarship, skilful understanding of democracy and a patriotic contributor for national development. In their search, they stop on the table of the Deputy Senate President, Distinguished Senator Barau I Jibrin, CFR, as they invited him to deliver the Convocation Lecture during the 15th Convocation Ceremony of the University, Wednesday.</p>
<p>Looking at the title of the lecture, &#8220;Managing Executive–Legislature Relations towards Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic,&#8221; it is glaring that, only informed political leaders, with the needed exposure, could add value to the discussion. Not vague and fairy tales tellers.</p>
<p>Amidst scholars, democrats and activists, Senator Barau explores legislative expertise and scholarly advancement of discussion about genuine democracy around national development. A position that underscores the imperative of harmonious executive-legislative relations for Nigeria&#8217;s democratic consolidation.</p><div class="kmJiz7c8" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>While the lecture did not focus &#8220;&#8230; on the evolving relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999,&#8221; only, the lecture positions the DSP as a scholarly voice of governance.</p>
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<p>Being a member of the House of Representatives in 1999 and now a Senator, Deputy Senate President, to be precise, and looking beyond his state or any micro political entity, he believes, profoundly that, the executive and the legislature must work together to address the challenges plaguing the nation.</p>
<p>As he delved into figurative identification of the productive and close nexus relationship that exists between the National Assembly and the executive arm under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, he enunciated that, only collaborative effort, amongst the two arms, could save the country. Hence, in his own terms, both executive and legislature are unarguably on the same page, of making Nigeria great again.</p>
<p>Apart from his scholarly discussion on the theme, his interventions in the education sector, back home in Kano and the nation in general, informed all decisions across the academic environment, there, and students&#8217; bodies, to present to him Awards of Excellence. To officially recognize him as an icon for the development of the education sector in the land.</p>
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<p>They all appreciated his contributions to students through scholarships scheme, for studies in different fields of study. Both within and outside the country. As thousands get access to his scheme. He was identified as one of the leading national politicians whose contributions to education are immensely spotted and glaring. Some defined him as a National Messiah for Education.</p>
<p>Many Professors and academics, who attended the lecture, described him as a scholar in his own right. Whose arguments in the paper he presented, showcase how deeply rooted he is in the art of governance, legislation and engaging democratic activism.</p>
<p>The Deputy Senate President believes that, &#8220;A consolidated democracy is one in which political actors, institutions, and citizens internalise democratic norms, and where the probability of democratic breakdown becomes remote.&#8221;</p>
<p>He got standing ovation when he paraphrased, Diamond&#8217;s (1999) argument that, &#8220;In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, democratic consolidation extends beyond the regular conduct of elections. It encompasses adherence to constitutionalism, respect for separation of powers, accountability, rule of law, and effective inter-institutional collaboration.</p>
<p>The Executive-Legislature relationship therefore constitutes a critical arena in which democratic values are either strengthened or undermined.&#8221;</p>
<p>DSP&#8217;s deeper knowledge of national democratic structure and his patriotic engagement for national cohesion and adherence to global experience, came on board when he posits that, &#8220;Early years of the Fourth Republic were marked by frequent conflicts over leadership of the National Assembly, budgetary processes, impeachment threats, and oversight functions which constitute impediments towards democratic consolidation after prolonged military rule.&#8221;</p>
<p>All the bottlenecks in his classical analysis stem from &#8220;Executive dominance inherited from prolonged military rule, weak institutional capacity within the Legislature, partisan competition overriding constitutional responsibility and<br />
personalisation of power rather than institutional governance.&#8221;</p>
<p>Distinguished Senator Barau&#8217;s Al-Hikmah University&#8217;s presentation of Convocation Lecture, pushed many to accept the fact and the obvious that, he is indispensably a rare gem in legislative environment and a political stretcher in the national scheme of things. A national figure with global outreach. A gentleman with informed mind, capable hands and coordinated brain. Whose silence and humility are not defeatist, but calculative strategy.</p>
<p>One of the things that you cannot take away from him is, he is a political figure with thoughtful approach to politics.</p>
<p>In his elderly advice to the graduands he said, &#8220;As graduands of Al-Hikma University step into society, I urge you to uphold democratic values, demand accountable governance, and contribute intellectually and ethically to Nigeria’s democratic consolidation. Democracy is not sustained by institutions alone, but by enlightened citizens and principled leaders.&#8221;</p>
<p>The concluding part of his paper, speaks volume about his unwavering belief in democratic process, patriotic leadership style and informed understanding of national politics devoid of ethnic chauvinism. Hear the gentleman, &#8221; Distinguished audience, Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has endured longer than any previous democratic experiment in our history.</p>
<p>This endurance, however, must be matched with qualitative democratic deepening. Managing Executive–Legislature relations with wisdom, restraint, and constitutional fidelity is central to this task.&#8221;</p>
<p>Anwar writes from Kano<br />
Thursday, 8th January, 2026</p>
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