Senator Adams Oshiomhole has fired back at critics branding the 10th National Assembly as a “rubber stamp,” insisting that lawmakers were not elected to engage in a brawl with President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking during a live programme on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on Sunday, the former Edo State governor and current senator representing Edo North dismissed the label as not only unfair but also a misrepresentation of the role of legislators in a democracy.
“There’s a perception that the National Assembly is a rubber stamp? So if we start boxing the presidency just to prove independence, then we become a bunch of rascals.
“Is that what we were elected for, to go and box?”, Oshiomhole asked pointedly.
He challenged critics to cite any specific law or policy endorsed by the Assembly that runs counter to the national interest.
“Tell me, which law have we rubber-stamped that is harmful to Nigerians? Just name one that passed without robust debate,” he pressed.
Oshiomhole also highlighted several interventions made by lawmakers, including issues he raised about the alleged extortion of Nigerians by power distribution companies (DISCOs).
He argued that the legislative body is actively performing its oversight and representative duties, even if its approach doesn’t always involve public confrontation.
Oshiomhole said, “The notion that we must constantly oppose the executive to be seen as effective is flawed.
“We deliberate, we debate, and we make decisions based on merit, not on the optics of opposition.”
The senator’s remarks come amid growing public scrutiny of the 10th Assembly’s perceived alignment with the presidency, a criticism that has sparked debates about legislative independence and democratic checks and balances.
