The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Sen.Bola Tinubu signed into law the first self accounting bill of state legislature in the country which made them independent of exexutove, a former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji has said.
Ikuforiji stated this while addressing members of the Media and Publicity Committee of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council for Lagos State.
He said the move, which drew atrong opposition from the then PDP-led federal government, demonstrated Tinubu’a commitment to the principle of separation of powers enshrined in the Constiturion.
Ikuforiji, who was elected from Epe as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2003 and was speaker for 10 years, said he believed Tinubu took the decision because he was exposed to the democratic system in United States and started his politics as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He said the fact the National Assembly passed a bill last year compelling state governments to enact the self-accounting laws for their Houses of Assembly shows that Tinubu is a trail blazer and a visionary.
Kuforiji also said a Tinubu Presidency will ensure harmonious relationship with the National Assembly to fasttrack socio-economic development of the country.
Ikuforiji, who remains the longest serving Speaker for ten years, noted that the cordial relationship that existed between the executive and Legislative arms of government was responsible for a new Lagos uncovered by the Tinubu led government.
According to him, the former Lagos State Governor made it possible for the Lagos House of Assembly to become the envy of other state assemblies due to the autonomy of the House.
“The freedom the House enjoyed during the Tinubu government is unparalleled,” he said. “You will recall that it was a tug of war then between the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the National Assembly, whereas the financial autonomy the house enjoyed made it possible for peace to reign supreme in the state.”
Speaking onnthe relation between himself as Speaker and Tinubu as governor, Ikuforiji said, ” If he wants to do something that I believe won’t fly, I would tell him so. Because he knows that the development of the House of Assembly as a democratic institution guided me, he would think about it again”.
He said a lot of discussion between the executive preceeded the enactment of bills into laws so that both arms could agree on the importance of such laws for the public good.
Kuforiji noted that as the policemen of the system, members of the House performed oversight functions on ministries, departments and agencies without the interference of Governor Tinubu.
Rather, Tinubu as governor made it clear to commissioners and permanent secretaries to supply all the necessary information to enable lawmakers perform.their oversight functions.
He described the APC Presidential candidate as a good listener who worked with the legislators to make laws which led to the giant strides of the state.
Lagos Chairman, APC PCC Media and Publicity Committee, Hon Kehinde Bamgbetan said the session was part of efforts to highlight how the then Tinubu led government worked with the House of Assembly in the overall benefits of Lagosians.
He explained that the discussion was also to showcase what Nigerians will benefit under the Tinubu Presidency in terms of Legislative interventions.
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