Abiola Azeez writes on the activities of the members of the Kwara State House of Assembly in the last one year, concluding that the state legislature is living up to its billing as the representative of the people.

The legislature in any democratic setting is considered as the first arm of government and the platform on which nations and states make laws to create enabling environment for sustainable human development in all facets of life. It is also considered as the official body of law makers chosen through the electoral process to make laws, amend or repeal laws for peace, order and good governance of the state without prejudice to the provisions of the nation’s constitution.

Political watchers in Kwara State believed that the legislature, under the leadership of the Speaker, Honourable Razak Atunwa, inaugurated on 6 June, 2011, has its major achievement in the sustenance of peaceful atmosphere which the state had been noted for since its creation.

The unanimous decision of the 24-member legislature to elect the 43-year old Atunwa, who had served as Commissioner in four ministries in the state namely, Lands and Housing, Information, Works and Transport and Finance, consecutively before his emergence as Speaker of the seventh legislature, is said to be paying well for the state in this regard.

The Speaker, in his acceptance speech after he was inaugurated on June 6, 2011 promised to render selfless service to the House and the entire people in the State of Harmony and protect the sanctity and integrity of the Assembly. While thanking his colleagues for the confidence reposed in him at the event, he eulogised the immediate past governor of the state and the senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District, Dr Bukola Saraki, for creating a sustainable platform for democratic governance and pledged to make the state Assembly a cynosure of all eyes in the country.

Meanwhile, given the importance of legislature in any democratic setting, many people see it as the tripod upon which other arms of government rest on, more importantly given the fact that it is supposed to be the eyes, ears and voice of the people. The legislature is believed to have its legitimacy in the true representation of the public will, while its value should lie in the intrinsic connection with the people.

Against views held by some people that the legislature should not be seen to have too cosy relationship with the executive, members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, headed by a legal practitioner, said they had tried to improve the lives of the citizenry that elected them into office through their activities in the past one year, concluding that the legislative relationship with the executive arm of government had also been strengthened.

Speaking on the legislative duties in the House in the past one year, the Speaker of the House representing Owode/Onire constituency who is assisted by a professor of Agricultural Engineering, Honourable (Professor) Mohammed Gana Yisa, said the Assembly, on assumption of office, decided to settle down to legislative business with the aim of passing bills with direct relevance to the people at the grassroots and set the direction for the policies of government. He said the House, whose vision is also to make good laws, legislate without fear or favour, had also ensured cordial and harmonious relationship with the executive to engender smooth public administration and provided a platform upon which he said the state government recorded great feat within the last 365 days in office.

Atunwa he said the legislature in the state had demonstrated a high sense of maturity, intelligence and mutual objectivity by facilitating the socio-economic transformation of the state and entrenching the message of good governance and peaceful co-existence irrespective of party affiliation. He added that though the legislative arm of government is dominated by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) having two members, it had demonstrated that it is not under the whims and caprices of the executive as the legislators do not have time for frivolity but pass laws that will stand the test of time.

“This is aptly manifested going by the quality of debates, regular over-sight functions, public hearings conducted to have stakeholders’ inputs on all bills passed into law by the hallowed chamber. The House, in its wisdom, has been guided by the interest of the electorate whose mandate brought us into office and we have not deviated for once, despite the harmonious working relationship between us and the executive. Members, apart from the explicit public duties, have equally demonstrated deep sense of individual and collective commitment, particularly to the various constituencies they represent as they work in tandem with decisions that would improve government’s presence in their various constituencies.

“The House has not only met the mandatory 180 days of legislature sitting per session, but has passed five bills, 122 resolutions and 13 motions. Most of the bills brought by the executive, in spite of the fact that the ruling party is in the majority, were not hurriedly passed into law. The Appropriation Bill, Local Content Bill and the Bill for the establishment of the Bureau of Statistics went through robust and healthy debates considered as the hallmark of any democratic setting. Government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) were regularly summoned to make clarifications on issues that have bearing with socio-economic well being of the people of the state”, he said.

The Speaker also said that the Kwara House had in the last one year resolved disputes capable of impeding peaceful co-existence and socio-economic transformation of the state through matters of public importance. According to him, the leadership of the House, knowing fully well that for it to perform its roles and responsibilities effectively act as the agent of checks and balances to the executive arm of government so as to make institutions of government more accountable to the public, established various committees that ensured strict monitoring of government’s programmes, policies and projects to ensure proper management of public fund, as well as make democracy meaningful for the people through provision of basic infrastructure.

Taking a cursory look at what accounted for the success recorded by the seventh Assembly in the state, the Majority Leader of the House, Honourable Abdulganiyu Abdulkareem from Share Oke Odo constituency noted that there has been cordial relationship between the Speaker, principal officers and members of the House. Expressing satisfaction with the quality of the present leadership of the House, he assured that the House in the coming year would work with renewed vigour to consolidate on what has been achieved.

Also speaking, an Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker, Honourable Hassan Oyeleke, from Essa/Shawo/Igbodun constituency, scored the Assembly high in performance in the last one year. He said his assessment was based on what the state legislature had been able to achieve in the last one year and the remarks of a four-term member of the United States of America congress (Senator Whiting) on the state House of Assembly.

Honourable Oyeleke, who said he believes strongly in justice, equity and truth, irrespective of party affiliation, described the Speaker of the House as an asset to the state, considering what he described as his transparency, accessibility, brilliance, wealth of experience and commitment to duty. Talking on the allegation recently made against the Speaker by a principal officer of the House, Oyeleke described it as malicious and ungodly, adding that the petitioner could not back up the allegations with any valid document.

Appealing to politicians to play politics without bitterness and avoid pull-him-down syndrome so as to move the state forward, Oyeleke then called for synergy between the legislative and executive arms of government by implementing all the resolutions of the House to further improve on the well being of the electorate.

Also speaking, a member representing Ekiti constituency, Honourable Ebun Owolabi, said that the House is ranked among the best in the country, adding that there has been cordial relationship between the members and the leadership. Expressing delight that the executive arm of government had taken the resolutions of the House seriously, he described the House of Assembly as unique in view of the cordiality between the leadership and members, irrespective of party differences. She however said that the House would be looking forward to private bills in the new legislative session.

Chairman, House committee on Local Government Affairs, Honourable Hamidu Giwa Afolabi, said that the House had kept close watch on the local government councils through oversight functions to make them more responsive to the people. He said his committee had resolved disputes between communities in the state, vigilante groups and Irepodun local Government Area on security issue, including projects execution in some local government councils.

A member representing Isin constituency, Honourable Felicia Ojeleye and the Chief Whip of the House, Honourable Audu Liman Saidu, representing Edu constituency, said that there had been transparency and consistency in the conduct of affairs of the House. They assured that members would continue to demonstrate maturity, love and commitment in the new legislative session. 

A member representing Ilorin Central constituency, Honourable Ramat Segilola Abdulkadir, described the relationship between the leadership and other members as impressive and assured that members would continue to give their overwhelming support to the leadership so as to consolidate on what had been achieved in the last 365 days.