Senate President, David Mark, yesterday reviewed activities of the legislators at the state level in the last 16 years and lamented that they have reduced themselves to mere stooges of governors.

Mark stated this at the opening of a weeklong induction programme organised for newly elected state lawmakers by the National Institute for Legislative Studies in Abuja.

The Senate president noted with concern that the general impression of Nigerians was that the state legislatures were now appendages of the governors’ offices.

“As lawmakers, you must avoid holding your sessions in the council chambers of the Government Houses.

“It is ignoble to use the Mace outside the chamber or borrow local government legislative council Mace to conduct your affairs or resort to self help by using your Mace to perpetuate violence.”

“You must conduct your sittings in line with the provisions of the constitution and the extant rules of the House. As state legislators, you must restrain yourselves from the excessive use of the constitutional provision that empowers you to impeach either your speakers, executive governors or their deputies.”

He noted that impeaching a public elected official remained a very serious legislative process that must not be abused or taken for a joke.

“Impeachment is not designed for a few days exercise. Where it has become the last resort, it must be painstakingly conducted within the hallowed chamber of the parliament in accordance with the extant rules of the House and the constitution of the country.”

A newly elected member of Cross River State House Assembly, Mathew Olory, during an interview with journalists, pledged that the new state legislators were ready to ensure the independence of the legislature and its financial autonomy.

•Adapted from Daily Sun. Photo shows Mark.