By Dennis Agbo

The maiden summit of the Nigerian Former Legislators Forum (NFLF) held in Enugu last weekend succeeded in setting out a framework for the legislature to help in the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

Convened by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, the summit was attended by previous heads and incumbent members of the National, State Assemblies and also the local government legislators.

Top among the ex-legislators were Senators Ken Nnamani, Anyim Pius Anyim, Rochas Okorocha, Stella Odua and others. Former House of Representatives leaders such as Yakubu Dogora, Emeka Ihedioha and other former principle members of the green chamber were present.

Held at the International Conference Center Enugu, speakers in their turns articulated challenges breakthroughs and way forwards for legislators both in and out of office. It was agreed that ex-legislators have roles to play in sustainable development and governance, acknowledging that the collective experience of former legislators must be harnessed as a national asset in pursuit of sustainable development.

The summit resolved to undertake a post-legislative scrutiny of key laws and policies, especially constitutional amendments from 1999 to date, with a focus on devolution of powers to sub-national governments. Particular areas for scrutiny, they resolved, will include legislations andr eforms related to electricity markets, railways, aviation, correctional services, and other concurrent matters, to assess their real-world impact and relevance to Nigeria’s federal structure.

It was agreed that the Forum will, henceforth, function as a permanent centre for strategic legislative support and development ideas, especially as it relates to sustainable national transformation, and expressed deep appreciation to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, for his foresight, sacrifice, and patriotic commitment in convening the historic summit, despite not being an immediate beneficiary of its outcomes.

Recognizing the present economic challenges, the summit encouraged the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remain steadfast in the pursuit of economic recovery and the Nigerian commonwealth.

Speaking in the summit, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu noted that it was because they were custodians of Nigeria’s legislative heritage that made them to gather for the summit with the aim to institutionalizing the wisdom of sages who have shaped Nigeria’s democracy. He gave accolades to Nigeria’s former National legislators who are still around such as President Tinubu and the wife, Remi; Vice President Kashim Shettima, Femi Gbajabiamila, Hope Uzodinma, Ademola Adeleke, Douye Diri, Umar Bago, Yakubu Dogara and a host of others former members of the National Assembly.

Kalu said that the Forum must champion the holistic welfare of its members, supporting one another politically, socially, and economically, adding that they must form a strong policy-pressure group and legislative-lobbying arm to advocate for their collective interests within the corridors of power. He noted that the nation has invested vast resources in training each legislator, both past and present, and that allowing the investment to go to waste upon leaving office should be discouraged at all costs.
“This platform will reduce the pressures on those who lose elections by providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and pathways into new careers and public service roles. Former legislators are reservoirs of insight, not relics. The NFLF must establish a knowledge bureau to document legislative best practices and launch congressional study groups on critical issues like the economy, security, foreign policy, and trade. Let us partner with universities, as the U.S. does, deploying former members as ambassadors for civic literacy on campuses and in communities,” Kalu prescribed.

He urged his predecessors and peers in the Forum to transcend partisan divide and Champion pension reforms to secure retirees’ dignity, support each other holistically, and synergize to build a policy advocacy and pressure group that influences key national policies. He also asked them to leverage technology for virtual mentorship and policymaking, partner globally, drawing from Indonesia’s dialogue-driven approach, the United States of America and United Kingdom’s bipartisan assemblage.

Delivering the Keynote speech, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara explained the role of former legislators in safeguarding democracy, stating that as former legislators, they were not only national leaders, but have acquired training and mentorship that must not be allowed to rot.

According to Dogara, “As former legislators, we can play vital roles in deepening our democracy by promoting democratic values, advocating for accountability, transparency, and inclusivity in government. Building networks and alliances, collaborating with civil society, government institutions, and international partners to drive social change and national progress. We can deploy our experiences and God-given talents in building strong networks and alliances as we are doing now, which are crucial for effective collaboration and achieving common goals.

“This can easily be done since we are partners and allies who subscribe to common values and set goals. We must be reliable, consistent, open minded and must show more than passing interest in the perspectives of all of us in the loop.”