The Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, has renewed calls for full legislative autonomy, saying the Assembly remains stifled by executive dominance despite modest achievements in governance and oversight.
Speaking on a current affairs programme aired on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, on Monday, Adeleye said although the Assembly operates actively, it still falls short of its potential due to lack of independence.
He scored the House’s oversight function at 60 percent, citing its quarterly reviews, active committees, and engagements with government agencies to tackle financial irregularities.
“As a legislator, we have a pivotal role to play in democracy. We ensure checks and balances, good governance, and probity. Yes, we are the bedrock of democracy when you talk about constitutionalism, true representation, oversight and legislation,” he said.
Adeleye praised the progress made by the National Assembly, noting its financial and administrative independence.
“To God be the glory, today the National Assembly is autonomous. Constitutionally, it is self-funded except where you have leadership that has chosen to be a rubber stamp to the executive,” he noted.
However, he decried the continued lack of autonomy at the state level. “Coming back to the State Assembly, I’ll tell you without mixing words that the gains recorded at the national level are still far better than what we have at the state assemblies,” he said.
“We still depend on the information unit and finances of the state government. In this way, we are handicapped.”
He explained that while the constitution provides for a State Allocation Committee headed by the Commissioner for Finance to manage the sharing of revenue among the three arms of government, in reality, the executive continues to dominate.
“The lion’s share still goes to the executive, leaving the judiciary and legislature struggling,” he added.
Despite these structural challenges, Adeleye commended the current Assembly led by Speaker Daisi Elamide for its efforts in improving governance through lawmaking.
“Today, we are doing well as a state in terms of internally generated revenue. Ogun State is the most industrialized in Nigeria,” he stated.
“The Assembly has been doing its best through good legislation to enhance and promote governance.”
He noted that the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee functions like an internal anti-graft body, reviewing the finances of over 60 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“Where we suspect misappropriation or financial impropriety, we summon the persons or companies involved in the presence of security representatives. Where our observations are not palatable, we write to anti-graft agencies for further investigation,” he explained.
On accessibility and citizen engagement, the lawmaker pointed to the Assembly’s transparency efforts. “We have a functional website where all our activities are documented and monitored. In Odogbolu, my constituency office is open for walk-in requests and petitions. My staff are highly dedicated and relay messages to me in a matter of moments,” he said.
However, he stressed that media coverage of the legislature remains poor. “The activities of the State Assembly are poorly reported because we are not yet autonomous. Until we achieve that, not many people will know what’s going on,” he lamented.
Reacting to public outrage over the recently introduced toll charges on the dualized Ijebu-Ode–Epe Expressway, Adeleye said he swiftly took action on behalf of his constituents.
“As soon as I saw the project documents and the Public Transportation Policy release, I submitted a petition. The toll gate is within my constituency, and it was necessary to speak up before my people are unnecessarily punished,” he stated.
Reaffirming his commitment to the cause of legislative independence, Adeleye expressed hope for eventual progress. “Everything is a process, and I believe very soon, joy is coming for the House of Assembly.”
