Senator Orji Kalu Canvasses Part-Time Legislature

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation, has backed calls for part-time legislature at both the federal and state levels.

Senator Kalu (APC – Abia North) stated that this would help the nation cut costs while also increasing citizen trust in the political system.

The former Abia governor stated this in an interview posted on his verified Facebook page over the weekend.

Senator Kalu responded to calls for part-time legislature, saying, “I think it will be a very good idea if my colleagues and other members of the Houses of Assembly agree that we can sit for three months and do constitutional amendments first.

“So we can meet four times a year, and if there is an emergency, there will be emergency sitting. We can run for president on that basis and then return to our full-time positions.

“All of Nigeria’s legislative houses, including the Senate and House of Representatives, will be part-time.”

Senator Kalu maintained that this would be part of austerity measures to reduce governance costs, citing regional government as another viable option.

“If we go with regional government, this means that the ministers and legislators will be the same. I have been toying with the idea of how we can save money to run Nigeria because the country requires it.

I will encourage the President and the National Assembly to pass such laws. “This will benefit him, the system, and everyone,” he explained.

The former governor explained that, contrary to popular belief, senators are underpaid.

“But I want Nigerians and my colleagues to pass a quick constitutional amendment so that we can become a part-time sitting Senate, a part-time sitting House of Representatives, and the 36 state houses of assembly in Nigeria.

“That will instill trust and provide relief to the Nigerian people,” the former governor stated.