- Former Senate President David Mark criticized the National Assembly’s 152 committees as unwieldy and counter-productive for patronage and political expediency
- He emphasized the importance of expertise, party spread, geographical balancing, and ranking in committee formation
Former Senate President David Mark has described the National Assembly’s large number of committees as unwieldy, claiming that having too many panels would make it difficult for them to function efficiently.
In both chambers of the National Assembly, there are 152 committees. The Senate has 71 special and standing committees, while the House has 81.
The United States Senate has 24 committees, including four special committees, 16 standing committees, and four joint committees.
Mark stated at a retreat for principal officers of the 10th National Assembly held over the weekend in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, that forming numerous committees for patronage and political expediency is counter-productive.
He also stated that allowing a legislator to serve on six committees is unwise because the legislator cannot participate effectively or efficiently in the committee assignments.
“The total of 71 committees (8 plus 63) in the Senate and 81 committees (7 plus 74) in the House of Representatives, in my opinion, is unwieldy,” said Mark, who served as President of the 6th and 7th Senates. You must understand that not every senator or representative can serve as a committee chairman.
A ranking member of a committee is as effective and influential as a chairman of the committee. Creating so many committees for patronage and political expediency is counter-productive.
In constituting the committee, it will be advisable to ensure expertise, party spread, geographical balancing and ranking. I must emphasise the issue of ranking; it is very important in the legislature.