THE LEGISLATURE AND CONSTITUENCY RELATIONS IN NIGERIA: AN ANALYSIS OF ANAMBRA STATE 6TH ASSEMBLY

Abstract

It is truism that the legislature is generally seen as a crucial institution of the State in any
democratic governance. This is attributable to the central role legislature plays in public
policy process and the fact that its representative nature is such that strives to convey or put
into cognizance the opinions of their constituents why performing their representative
duties. In Anambra State, the Anambra State Legislature carries and indeed performs the
duties of the legislature. This study therefore examines Legislature and Constituency
Relations in Nigeria, with a specific emphasis on the Anambra State 6th House of Assembly.
It argues that executive dominance of legislative activities, poor constituency project
implementation and inadequate oversight function has grave legislative implications on the
relationship of the constituents and the legislature in Anambra State. The study uses
documentary methods which entails qualitative descriptive analysis. It is guided by
structural functional theory. It concludes that imperious executive influences and poor
relations of the legislators contributed to slow pace of development in the State within the
period under study. It therefore recommends administrative and financial autonomy of the
legislature both at Federal and State level to ensure effectiveness and unhindered legislative
activities of the legislature in the State.