NASS Lampooned for Suspension of Legislative Activities Over Buhari’s Death

The National Assembly’s decision to suspend legislative activities for one week in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari has triggered a wave of backlash, with civil society groups, legal experts, and political analysts condemning the move as excessive, unnecessary, and a misuse of public resources.

Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023 under the All Progressives Congress (APC), died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in a private hospital in London.

In response, the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly announced the suspension of all legislative sessions until Tuesday, July 22.

A statement issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, confirmed the directive: “In honour of his legacy and service to the nation, I am directed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to inform members of the National Assembly and the general public that all legislative activities are suspended immediately until Tuesday, July 22, 2025. All members of the National Assembly are urged to reschedule their engagements to enable full participation in the burial activities of the late President.”

However, constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), strongly criticized the Assembly’s decision, describing it as excessive and ill-timed in a nation facing dire economic and security challenges.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Ozekhome acknowledged Buhari’s role in Nigeria’s history but questioned the logic behind shutting down the legislature for an entire week. “Yes, it is good to honour President Buhari. He was a two-time Head of State and a man who did well for himself and for Nigeria in his own way. But at a time of grinding poverty, rising insecurity, and public despair, shutting down all legislative activity for a whole week is unreasonable,” he said.

He added that a two-day break would have been sufficient to honour the late president while ensuring the National Assembly continues to fulfill its duties.

Ozekhome also expressed disappointment that Buhari died abroad despite promises during his presidency to improve Nigeria’s health infrastructure. “I would have preferred he died peacefully in Nigeria to preserve our national dignity. How many world leaders die outside their countries?” he asked.

He emphasized that if Buhari had upgraded hospitals during his eight years in office, perhaps he wouldn’t have needed to travel abroad for medical treatment.

According to Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), both chambers of the National Assembly are required to sit for a minimum of 181 days within a legislative year.

However, the legislature has routinely fallen short of this mandate, often adjusting internal rules to count committee meetings and oversight visits as part of official sittings. With both chambers meeting only three times a week and frequently observing lengthy recesses—including religious holidays and end-of-session breaks—the one-week suspension has only deepened concerns about legislative inefficiency.

Also reacting, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, dismissed the suspension as a façade, accusing lawmakers of exploiting Buhari’s death as an excuse to go on recess. He argued that many legislators showed little regard for Buhari’s values while he was alive and are now using his death for political gain.

“They just wanted to go on holiday. It has nothing to do with the death of Buhari. When Yar’Adua died, we didn’t see this. If they really respected Buhari, they would emulate his values. That is discipline, simplicity, and accountability. Buhari was not known for flamboyance or scandal. The only way to honour Buhari is to live by his principles, not by pretending to mourn him,” Rafsanjani said.

Similarly, the Secretary-General of the Igbo Elders Consultative Forum, Prof. Charles Nwekeaku, criticized the suspension of legislative work and the deployment of high-ranking officials to accompany Buhari’s corpse from London as wasteful.

He questioned the role of Nigeria’s embassy in the UK, saying public funds used for the travel of government officials could have been better spent on improving education and healthcare in Nigeria.

“The Nigerian government is not serious. Our leaders are not serious. They sent the vice president, among other personalities, to accompany the corpse home. What are the responsibilities of the Nigerian embassy? Why would the federal government be so reckless?

There are resources involved in sending these officials there,” he said.

Nwekeaku added, “They are not helping the dead. They are not helping him in any way. I’m sure that the person in question, if he were alive, wouldn’t want such money to be wasted. He would have preferred that the money be used for another thing. If the embassy couldn’t manage it, they could have coordinated with other embassies in Europe. Instead, they turned it into a political show.”

He concluded that the federal government appears to be using the former president’s death as an early campaign strategy for 2027. “I think what I observe is that they have assumed this incident as a campaign issue for 2027. And that’s why they are doing this jamboree. That’s why the government is pretending to be doing all these,” he said.

Meanwhile, a state funeral for the late former president is scheduled to hold today in Daura, Katsina State, his hometown, as Nigeria observes a national public holiday in his honour.