Legislative Functions: Prof. Sulaiman “Amana” Rates Kwara Assembly Zero, says Danladi-led House’s Subservience to Executive Breeds Bad Governance, Misuse Of State Resources 

By Ahmed Ajikobi

The Director General of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS), Professor Abubakar Sulaiman has expressed his disappointment with the state of governance in Kwara State.

He stated that the executive arm of the government has failed to provide the necessary support and resources to the legislative arm, hindering their ability to effectively function.

Prof Sulaiman who spoke at the launch of a book titled “My Random Thoughts: A Wake Up Call to the 10th KWHA ”, written by Comrade Lanrey Osho, criticized the lack of funding, capacity, and resources for the state’s legislature.

According to the NILDS boss, it is important that lawmakers are provided with a conducive environment and institutions for them to effectively carry out their duties.

“Do they have resources to perform on their own? Are they not begging for money from executives to do one or two things? Without funding, they cannot do anything. The environment and Institutions must be there for them to perform very well. My position is that the environment, in terms of Institution,in terms of funding, in terms of resources are not there in kwara state”.

“ Therefore, that has hampered the effectiveness of kwara State House of Assembly over the years.

“Secondly, we look at the capacity of the people we are recruiting in the state Assembly. Kwara has the youngest lady in the assembly in Nigeria. We have been parading that. In the history of gender balance, we are number one. I commend the Kwara State Assembly for that.

“The issue is that our Assembly members, do we have the capacity? Are they truly the people we needed? If we are not doing this the way we should do, in terms of amendment to Nigeria’s Institutions, kwara state is one of the states that has failed in doing what to do and nobody is talking”, he said.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the appearance of assembly members, except for a few, when meeting with them in Abuja.

“When we invite state assemblies to functions in Abuja or anywhere, and I see members of my stare assembly, I usually feel unhappy. Aside from the speaker or two others, most of them do not look good. I’m not happy with that. They should look good.

“ When I’m speaking, I’m speaking for the kwara lawmakers, not for myself. I’m not criticizing them. The executive must do something for them in a way for them to perform their functions.”

Sulaiman went further to decry the lack of oversight functions and accountability of the state assembly.

“In the area of oversight, either in terms of funding, in terms of assessment,in terms of evaluation, our state assembly is zero. I stand to be corrected. The major duty of lawmakers is oversight and the topic we are treating here at this book launch falls under the oversight functions of the Assembly”, he said.

He highlighted the absence of visits to inspect construction sites, such as bridges and small roads, and the failure to hold the executive accountable, particularly in terms of funding and evaluation as parts of the failure of the Kwara State House Assembly.

Sulaiman stressed the importance of oversight in fighting corruption, suggesting that the state assembly should establish legislative frameworks and institutions to combat corruption.

He mentioned the need for bills that protect whistleblowers and replicate anti-corruption agencies like the ICPC and EFCC in the state.

“How do we fight corruption? Through the instrumentality of the state assembly, through the instrumentality of state legislature. When the contract is awarded, you are not oversighting. Oversighting of fighting corruption could come in many ways, through legislative framework.

“We have to make law, that will protect the people who want to whistle blow on issue of corruption, you have to make law that will come out with Institutions and framework that fight corruption. Some states have anti corruption agencies which perform similar functions like ICPC, EFCC . I don’t think we have one in kwara state. It’s the duty of kwara assembly to establish such agencies through legislation.

“ How do we replicate EFCC,ICPC in kwara? Come out with bills and move it to executive. Let executives now refuse to ascents such bill, but we don’t see that in kwara state.

“ You can fight corruption by oversighting the work of executives for transparency, accountability I don’t know what to say because you can only talk on what exists. It didn’t exist in the previous assembly, and it doesn’t exist in current assembly.

“ How many times have kwara assembly invited MDAs (Ministries, Departments and Agencies) to open their records and ask questions. How many times have you seen them inviting commissioners to ask questions. How many times have they done public hearing to seek opinion of kwara people, all these are not existing”.

The NILDS D-G argued that the Kwara State House of Assembly has become subservient to the executive, hindering good governance.

“ The kwara assembly remain an appendage in the hands of executive. As long as we remain an appendage in the hands of the executive, forget about good governance.”

He called on the assembly members to wake up and fulfill their responsibilities, as resources are being misused “the executive Governor of kwara state, is my brother and friend, no doubt about it. But the Kwara State House of Assembly should wake up because all of our resources are going down ”

Sulaiman also mentioned the lack of effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Complaint Commission in Kwara State, questioning the allocation of resources and funding challenges.

He commended non-governmental organizations and journalists for performing oversight functions, as the state assembly has failed to do so.

“Corruption does not limit down to government. There are individual corruption, institutional corruption. Corruption goes everywhere. Governor will not know that people are siphoning our resources. People wouldn’t know that Public complain Commission are under legislature.

“ How effective, efficient our Public complain Commission in kwara state? What are the resources meant for them? What have been the funding challenge? When I heard Lanre Osho three days on radio shouting, I pity him. The major pressure group in kwara now that are now performing oversighting in kwara state are NGO and Journalists. Kwara State House Assembly are not there to do their function.”

Sulaiman urged the Kwara State House of Assembly to address the issues he raised and fulfill their duties to ensure good governance in the state.