By John Alechenu, Abuja
Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has said Nigeria does not need another third-term controversy for a president to secure a lifetime presidency, arguing that all it takes is a National Assembly unable to assert its independence.
Melaye spoke at a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, expressing concern over what he described as the legislature’s apparent inability to stand up to the executive.
He said Nigerians and others concerned about the country’s future should be worried about the National Assembly’s seeming reluctance to exercise its constitutional independence.
“A lifetime presidency does not require a president who stays forever. It requires a presidency that meets no meaningful restraint while in office,” he said.
Melaye argued that the Constitution anticipated that presidents would seek political advantage, which, according to him, was why it established an independent legislature to provide checks and balances.
He said recent developments had raised questions about whether the National Assembly was adequately discharging that responsibility.
“The Police Act raised questions about speed and executive-initiated tenure. Rivers raised questions about supermajority. Tax law raised questions about integrity of laws passed. Electoral Act raised questions about whether procedure reflected the will of Parliament,” he said.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain also cited budget implementation, Service-Wide Votes, the proposed six-year tenure for elected officials, state police, the reported failure of oversight following the deaths of 30 miners in Niger State and what he described as legislators’ indifference to the implementation of Section 145 of the Constitution.
He cautioned against treating the issues as proof of a single allegation but said they collectively warranted scrutiny of the legislature’s independence.
“Don’t collapse them into one allegation. But together, they justify scrutiny of how much independence NASS still has,” he said.
Melaye questioned whether the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had ensured that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was institutionally independent of the President.
He said the concern was not about the competence or qualifications of the current IGP, Olatunji Disu, but whether adequate safeguards existed to protect the office from perceived political influence.
According to him, the police play a critical role in election security, even though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is responsible for conducting elections.
“IGP does not count votes. But his men decide whether voting is safe,” he said.
Melaye said reports on previous elections had documented allegations of partisan conduct by security agents, adding that the issue deserved particular scrutiny ahead of the 2027 general election.
He pointed to the appointment of a former presidential aide as IGP following an amendment to the Police Act initiated by the President and passed by the National Assembly within a day.
“President initiated it, Parliament passed it with speed, beneficiary was former CSO to President, successor is former ADC to same President. None proves rigging. But together, question cannot be dismissed,” he said.
Melaye warned that the risk of a lifetime presidency did not begin with the cancellation of elections but with the weakening of institutions responsible for protecting electoral credibility.
“It starts when institutions around elections depend on faith alone, without Parliament protecting that faith,” he said.
He added: “No President should want a Parliament that cannot say no. Every President leaves office. Precedents remain. Every shortcut today becomes a weapon tomorrow.
“We are not strengthening institutions. We are strengthening incumbents. Oath was to Constitution, not President.”
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