By Editor
The Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Dr. Najeem Salaam has said the constitutional amendment that guarantees financial autonomy for the state Houses of Assembly would be a panacea to disturbing trend of executive inference in the watchdog role of the state parliament, saying in the long run, the people would be better for it.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butika, Speaker Salaam asserted that the constitutional amendment has delivered the right position of the state Assembly to independence of the legislature, claiming that legislature is the shrine of democracy and the first arm of government on the order of hierarchy, because it is the direct voice of the people that has been long subdued.
Dr. Salaam reiterated that: “the watchdog role of the state legislature has been long subdued because the executive controls the coffer and it could use it as instrument of coercion to have its way in the course of governance, but now the executive will come to the table with the mindset of interacting with its equal”.
Speaker Salaam also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the amendment into law, saying the President has further demonstrated that he is a true Democrat who wants democracy to work at its full course.
Besides, he urged leadership of the state parliament across the states of federation to use the autonomy as an instrument of synergy not a tool of muscle flexing; saying the independence of legislature should be deployed for the development of the state, not to engedeer crisis of confidence.