Ita Enang, a former member of the Nigerian Senate and Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on Legislative Duties, has urged the National Assembly to initiate legal action against the federal government regarding the signing of the Samoa agreement by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
The Samoa agreement, signed on 28 June at the Organisation of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat in Brussels, involves a partnership between the European Union and its member states with members of the OACPS. Negotiations for this agreement began in 2018 and were concluded on 15 November 2018, involving a framework for cooperation including economic growth, environmental protection, and human rights.
Enang’s concern centers around the constitutional requirement that agreements, especially those with implications for Nigeria’s interests, must pass through the National Assembly for ratification before being signed by the executive. He criticized the federal government for allegedly sidelining the National Assembly in such matters since 2002.
He emphasized the need for the National Assembly to seek judicial interpretation on whether treaties signed by Nigeria without its ratification violate constitutional provisions. Enang suggested that this issue should be taken to the Supreme Court for clarification, particularly regarding the legal status of treaties, conventions, protocols, and even loans that Nigeria has entered into without proper legislative approval.
His call for legal action underscores the importance of constitutional adherence and parliamentary oversight in Nigeria’s international agreements and commitments.