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Democracy encompasses the rare virtues of prudence, fairness, equity and justice to the greatest apogee of measure but on this part of the globe, the reverse is the case. In contemporary assessments with particular references to Nigeria, most democratically elected leaders are full of humorous quest chasing their shadows without any sense of retrospective ponder at least to grasp the candid fact that the masses are not to be hunted because these are the major key players who baked their mandates. No elected leader should be extremely naive to the point that they can gleefully commence a fight with those who voted them to power. Such leaders would not command honour and respect rather they would attract hailstones of shame which can badly dent their political image beyond repair.
It is musingly distasteful and unprofessionally awkward for supposed leaders to embark on irrelevant twisty tales in order to earn accolades from an embattled inimically personified autocrat. It is on a sad note, I strive to reflect on the celebrated show of misplaced priority that ensued on the floor of the Kogi State Assembly on Tuesday the 3rd day of October 2017 sequel to a vain motion raised by one Hon Haruna Idoko Musa representing Idah constituency. Kogi legislators should all cover their faces in shame because they succeeded in portraying to the world, not just Nigerians that they lack basic discretions to legislate without shades of evil directives from their “Oga at the top”. It is lucidly in vogue and ignorantly stressed that Comrade Austin Okai is a common enemy to both the legislative and executive arm of government in Kogi state hence the lawmakers extremely derailed to a shallow point by mistaking him for a bill thereby wasting a whole session deliberating about his revelation with a conclusive accord to arrest him to prove his points. What a shame!
The suddenly active sycophantic legislators cannot probe the legion of controversial characters dishing from the delicious pots of state treasuries but they evolved a wishful flair seeking answers from an opposition personnel who is always ready to push them back to their dirty scripted tracks.
Firstly, let it be stated clearly that there is no issue of receipts during an interchange of fraudulent monies and asking for evidence can be likened to a scenario of providing medicine after death.
Secondly, how can the highest law making body in a State condescend so low to discuss and deliberate on the issue of an individual not even an institution or an authority?
Thirdly, how can a legislative arm who are lacking the wherewithal and constitutional guts to summon the State Governor to account for all the monies (bail out funds, Paris refund, State allocations) that was allotted to the State wield the rude effrontery seeking for the presence of a notable opposition youth leader to clear their doubts over a scheme or scam they are all indicted?
It is interestingly shameful that the legislators woke up too late from their indolent slumbers thus they are lacking the adequate knowledge of legislative conducts. Better still, the assembly members drifted to become an appendage of state sponsored conglomerates of mischief makers who are either confused or appalled to reason beyond the dictates of the executive blunders.
The trending gist activated by the dubious pursuits of Kogi assembly members in the last few days is nothing beyond a witty symposium graced by legislative retards mingling without any framework or blueprints for the betterment of Kogi state. The legislators should retrace their steps and ask questions possibly among themselves at least to reshape the motives of their tenures. Within a space of 21 months, Kogi Assembly witnessed an era of three speakers who came and exited through similar circumstances. This calls for sober reflections. If care is not taken, every member of the assembly who came on the platform of the APC would rise to become Speakers before the end of their tenures but they should be prepared to end in the trash bins of politically ‘used and dumped’ cargoes.
Furthermore, Kogi Assembly Members never thought it wise to invite the infamous bandits of state actors milking the confluence state dry perhaps because they are part and parcel of the process but they want a brief and further clarifications over an allegation of fraud. On a personal note, I think they are more interested because money is involved or the loot was not shared accordingly, therefore they want to ascertain the truth of the matter but Okai is not a watchdog that should facilitate the fair share of their Greek gifts.
The legislators should take clues from other legislative arms of government in the country and turn a new leaf. Democratic options of power separation must be aptly invoked and imbibed in order to perform their duties without clashes of interest or non democratic directives from the executive arm of government.
Similarly, Kogi Assembly is the most dormant and non effective legislative arm in the country. They could not even dialogue or probe the invasion of the state assembly by thugs maybe because they are in the know of the principal actors behind the ugly scene but they are quick to act now that there is an allegation that involves money. This crave for injustice is dead on arrival because it is relatively moribund and clueless.
God bless Kogi state!
– Ajogwu-Jerry Ochada
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