The road to unfreedom is shorter and straighter than anyone could imagine. For the first time, the incoming Kogi State 7th House of Assembly will begin a mono-legislative activity without participation of the opposition party. It will be an APC led government affairs having cleared the 25 House of Assembly State constituency seats at the so-called poll. The fight to achieve this uncommon sense and anecdotal principle of governance did not start from today.
The writers of our constitution never thought of any political assembly or gathering without oppositions. This account for why we find office like Minority Leader of a House which is solely left for the opposition party! This is with a view to offer political alternatives; articulate and promote the interests of their voters (constituents); offer alternatives to the decisions proposed by the government and the majority representative; improve parliamentary decision-making procedures by ensuring debate, reflection and contradiction; scrutinize the legislative and budgetary proposals of the government; supervise and oversee the government and the administration; enhance stability, legitimacy, accountability and transparency in the political processes.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.
The purpose of the separation of powers is to prevent tyranny, which is arbitrary (random) or unfair government action that can result when one person has all the power to make, enforce, and interpret the law.
The struggle to have a House of Assembly taking decision and passage of bills without participation of the opposition party began from the day Alhaji Yaya Bello, the omnipotent Governor of Kogi State assumed office January 27, 2016. An attempt by House Committee on Public Account to know how much, which account and how do they intend to dispense the bailout funds, but because of tyrannical system of government which Bello operates in the state, an appointee of the state government will write to the state Assembly that nobody has power to summon the executive or demand to have any informationon public account. Besides, Members of the House of Assembly did not have the boldness to pass a vote of NO CONFIDENCE on a governor who built a skyscraper at a time, he has caused death and disease to our people.
In current situation, the governor went outside the confine of laws and appointed the so-called chairmen and named them as administrators without regard to local government laws in democratic governance.We are talking about those not legitimately elected, but appointed by the executive which has no basis in law. Bello calls them chief administrators. What was passed in local government laws, 2003, 2006, 2010 and 2011 amended last in 2013 only recognized a transition committee of 5 men and the tenure of 5 men committee was well spelt out.
In current situation, the governor went outside the confine of laws and appointed the so-called chairmen and named them as administrators without regard to local government laws in democratic governance. For the governor to appoint transition committees, the laws says such nominee shall be referred to the state Assembly for confirmation and in this case, none of these processes was observed. The illegitimate child gave birth to illegitimacy in the state.
An autocracy is rule by a single person. And absolute monarch is an autocracy. The government of Yaya Bello is a formidable combination between Autocracy vs Absolute monarchy. Apart from the fact a motion was moved by a Lawmaker and a resolution was passed that the screening or staff verification exercise must stop because of deaths and diseases it has caused to our people, yet the governor of the state refused to honour the position of the House. An avalanche of members of the House of Assembly in opposition party were subjected to all forms of threat and maltreatment so they can soft pedal their beaming search light of accountability to agree to their terms.
It is indeed ludicrous and fallacious to think that when we allow one party show in our House of Assembly, things will be better! There would be no way one would get to know the other side of the coin. Besides we do not have the state Assembly that is bold enough to impeach the governor because the current crop of one part members cannot even take strong position on some issues. Without the assistance of rocket science, leaving all members of their State House of Assembly in the hands of one political party. Doing so will be tantamount to democratic nuisance.
… to be continued
– Inah Stephen writes from Ajaka, Kogi State.
inaheyienes@gmail.com
