Article Details
Vol. 2 No. 1 (2027): January
Preserving the Sanctity of Lawmaking in Nigeria: National Assembly and Judiciary Roles in Democratic Governance
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines how the sanctity of the law-making process in Nigeria can be preserved through the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly and the complementary constitutional role of the judiciary, with particular attention to the relationship between legislative autonomy and judicial review.
Methodology: The study adopts a qualitative documentary research design, relying on the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly Standing Orders and legislative process documents, Nigerian judicial authorities and comparative constitutional materials, supported by comparative analysis of the United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa and Kenya.
Results: The findings show that the Nigerian Constitution vests federal legislative power in the National Assembly while simultaneously subjecting that power to constitutional limitations and judicial jurisdiction, so that the legislative process possesses both political and legal dimensions, and that hurried procedures, weak stakeholder consultation, insufficient scrutiny and constitutional overreach can weaken public confidence in legislation.
Conclusions: The sanctity of lawmaking is best preserved through a shared constitutional responsibility in which the National Assembly strengthens procedural discipline and public participation while the judiciary exercises principled review that protects constitutional supremacy without displacing legitimate legislative policy choices.
Limitations: The documentary design does not incorporate primary interviews with legislators, judges or legislative drafters.
Contributions: The study proposes concrete pre-enactment scrutiny, transparency and judicial-restraint mechanisms that can strengthen the legality, legitimacy and durability of Nigerian legislation.
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References
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