“The legislative arm is the first branch of government and the executive the second that shares governmental power. So it follows that legislature must balance the power of governors and the executive branch”. This position was made by Comrade Austin Usman Okai, while charging members of the Kogi State House of Assembly.
His statement reads;
“The Kogi state House of Assembly has to be responsive, at least to some degree, to what citizens want, and this is the right time, they must stand up, because we have a very peculiar problem in the state.
The State legislators must wake up to their responsibility, raise a motion in the House under matters of urgent public importance, and intervene in the executive recklessness that is ongoing in our dear state.
The situation where workers are being owed as much as ten months in the name of screening is avoidable and very unfortunate. The lawmakers were elected to represent our concerns as representative of the people, and not to be a rubber stamp to the Executive.
It is an open secret that some lawmakers are afraid of the state governor, Yahaya Bello and his chief of staff to the extent that they can’t even raise issues that bothers on the entire welfare of the citizens for fear of backlash. The financial state and current status of the state’s bailout fund is unknown to anybody except Mr Governor and his team. The lawmakers should be reminded the Bailout Fund is not a gift but a loan that the state must pay.
Legislators, as the true representative of the people, must carry out their functions as expected of them without fear or favor, which is expected of them in our system of representative democracy. That will ensure proper monitoring; accountability and close supervision of the executive and that will help avoiding impunity, arbitrariness.
Though the effort of some lawmakers who moved the motion for the suspension of some local government administrators involving in act of impunity are highly noticed , but they should do more on checking the Governor himself, who is governing the state without recourse to the due diligence and laid down practices.
Though mutual understanding is expected between the two arms of government, that doesn’t mean the state lawmakers should turn to an automatic rubber stamp in the hands of Executive. They must disagree to agree until they reached the common ground that is of the interest of the people. That way they will earn the respect of the Governor and the entire state.
It is unfortunate that some of the lawmakers are already afraid because they thought the governor might work against their reelection bid, while others are using their position to make money; and have turned themselves to Governor office obedient servants.
Kogi state is the second in the whole Northcentral region that collects the highest allocation from the federation account, only behind Niger state. In fact, for the month of September alone, Kogi state collected N3.39 Billion compared to Kwara state with N2.27, Nasarawa with N2.92, and Benue state with N3.37. Yet, we are doing woefully especially in terms of civil servants’ welfare and critical infrastructure. Ten months in office is enough to make an impact.”
Governor Yahaya Bello is clueless in the affairs of the state. Bello shouldn’t be ashamed of asking for some mentoring from those that have the experiences in human management and other governance related affairs. From all indication it is very obvious that he is overwhelmed, full of pride and clueless.
It is a shame that Kidnappers are fully back on Ajegu-Idah route. Of recent two Catholic Sisters, a Skye Bank Manager in Idah and two others were abducted and yet to be set free. Why should five persons be kidnapped within 3 days?
Governor Bello purchased over 2o0 Hilux vans for security patrol, but it is only for decoy and political correctness. Otherwise, where were these security vans and personnel when victims were kidnapped? Where are they and why has no victim been rescued?
The state’s security apparatus have not said a word on the kidnap incidents, the Governor who is the Chief Security of the State has kept undignified silence. The family of the victims are helpless, and the fate of the victims hanged in the hands of the dare devil gang.
It is also on record that the billions of Naira that was purportedly spent, and Helicopter hired for this purpose is yet to be justified. In fact, no one know the whereabouts of the said Helicopter and the exact amount being paying for the Helicopter services.
Kogi state legislators must wake up to their responsibility, they must not give up on their oversight for any reason. The people of Kogi state are looking up to them to stop the clueless steps of Governor Bello”.
