LEGISLATORS ROLE IN PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION AND AGENDA SETTING IN PUBLIC POLICY PROCESS IN NIGERIA

The legislators are a very important institution in a democratic system or society. They are responsible for collation of the needs, interests, goals, problems and ideas of the citizens through public policy process. They present these needs, problems and interests of the citizens to government by having deliberations with their constituents to know their policy preferences and present them for public actions. Several policies targeting peoples? needs especially poverty reduction and security challenges have been implemented by the government with minimal impact. This raises issues on the processes of problem identification and agenda setting in public policy making in Nigeria, with allegations of legislators being disconnected from their constituents. The study adopted phenomenological approach and in-depth interviews were conducted with twelve national assembly members, five officials of CSO?s and twelve constituency members. Data were analysed using ATLAS.ti 8 software and interpreted using hermeneutic approach. The study found that the processes of problem identification and agenda setting were defective in Nigeria. Whereas the legislators claimed they consulted their constituents regularly to identify problems, the constituents and officials of CSOs, claim they only meet with the legislators during the period of electioneering campaigns ahead of general elections. The study legislators should hold regular consultation with their constituents so as to articulate the demands, needs and interests of the people and be able to put them on the agenda for policy processes.