Will Oyo House live up to expectation?

BY OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

AS the Oyo State House of Assembly led by the first female Speaker, Monsurat Sunmonu began its sitting, expectations of the residents in the state are high.

The reason for their high expectations is not far-fetched. They can be said to have missed quality law making for quite a long time. In the past, If members of the legislative arm were not planning how to impeach the governor of the state through the back door, they would engage one another in free-for-all  over selfish interests.

Examples abound during the life of the popular Ibadan politician, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, when a notable leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, who is now deceased, sat in the hallowed chambers of the House and struck the gavel to impeach a democratically elected governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

Before the exit of the immediate past Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, members of the House engaged in a violent clash that forced one of them to jump down from a two-storey Parliament building. Since then, the House did not have any respite. The lawmakers who were then trying to remove the then Speaker, Mr. Moruf Atilola, fled for their lives. They did not resurface until two days to the end of their tenure when the new Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi assumed office.

Though, the Atilola-led legislature had adjourned its sitting sine die, the 13Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)- dominated member, sat and first legitimised their sitting by a motion from the Majority Leader, Mr. Samuel Adejumobi.

They made reference to two separate court orders, which declared their purported suspension illegal and reinstated the Deputy Speaker, Kazeem Ayilara and the Majority Leader, Adejumobi.

They also reversed all employments and appointments made by Alao-Akala from December 2010 to date.

The lawmakers, including the suspended eight lawmakers, who attempted to sack the former Speaker, Atilola, also dissolved four other  commissions and all the 33 local government caretakers and asked them to hand over to the Director of Personnel Managements in their councils.

The commissions dissolved are Judicial Service Commission, Local Service Commission, Civil Service Commission and Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission. The motion for the dissolution of the commissions was moved by Mr. Felix Ige.

The legislators urged Governor Ajimobi to set up a seven-member transition committee comprising five men and two women in each of the councils.

Having variously condemned alleged illegalities that reigned during the administration of Otunba Akala, they went ahead to move motions for the removal of all records relating to their suspension from the records of the legislative arm.

They also moved and supported another motion that their entitlements, salaries and allowances be paid to them by the Ministry of Finance as from June 2010 to date.

The session, which was presided over by Ayilara also supported that all allowances due to the deputy speaker, Ayilara as from February 2009 be paid to date.

Whether their sitting was legal or not, is another kettle of fish. But, at the end of the whole episode, it was the state that actually lost.

In this political dispensation, the composition of the House is very interesting. As at now, the ACN has only 13 members, PDP has 12 while the Accord Party has seven members. It would have been so interesting if not for the drama that took place some weeks ago.

Now, Accord Party lawmakers appear to belong to a different party on the surface, but the blood of the ruling party seems to be flowing in their veins. Vanguard gathered that before the coast was clear to elect the speaker, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, who could be said to be the leader of the party got his wish accepted by the governor.

After due negotiation and politicking, his lawmakers agreed to parley with ACN lawmakers. The deputy speaker slot was given to Accord Party. The governor did so to have the majority of the legislators in case of any eventuality. Besides, it was further gathered that the party would be given three commissioners and some local government councils.

As things are now, the legislature cannot be said to be the appendage of the executive because Accord Party members are still tied to the apron of their party. Defection of any of them to the ruling party is not being contemplated now.

At the sitting of the House last  week, it was apparent that most of them were not used to the way things are done. It looked as if they were not settled yet as the Speaker had to be guided on many occasions including the right time to use the gavel.

So, it was gratifying to hear the speaker say the House would adjourn to July 7,2011 for a week seminar.

Though, there may be considerable improvement with the presence of former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Comrade Ibrahim Bolomope and some experienced PDP lawmakers who were returned, the best should not be expected from them yet.

As for performance and the vocal ones among them, Olusegun Olaleye, a former executive member of the National Association of Nigerian Students and Bolomope may live up to expectation. They were very prominent in their first sitting.

Like in other states of the country, there is every likelihood that frictions may erupt for the following reasons. Though, the PDP is greater in number than the Accord Party, the alliance of the Accord Party members with the ACN has somehow forced it to remain in its nest. It is expected that most of the decisions to be taken would not be in their interest because they are in the minority now.

Political observers are of the view that though they remain silent for now, they would still challenge some decisions that may not be in their favour later.  However, it is observed that some of them after failing to beat the majority may end up joining them because the PDP in the state now looks like a flock without shepherd.

Another factor that may cause frictions is the choice of a female as the Speaker. It is no longer news that women have, at one time or the other, led lawmakers in other states, people are watching, considering the ‘military’ nature of Pacesetter State, if Sunmonu will be given a free-hand by the male-dominated legislature to paddle the canoe of the House to a safe destination.

With the way things are going and by the prudent nature of Governor Ajimobi, it appears that both the executive and the legislature may cross the path of each other. But it is hoped that unlike the previous administrations when candidates were handpicked and foisted on the people, the present political dispensation enjoyed the popular choice of the people and that would likely influence all unfolding events.

What could make them formidable, according to an observer, is if the lingering crises that led to its ouster could be amicably resolved. But, it seems the gulf among the feuding parties is widening by the day.

They still stay apart trading blame for their loss at the election. For instance, the issue of ministerial nominees is still generating ripples. Recently, one of the aggrieved chieftains of the party, Elder Wole Oyelese said it seemed the former Governor, Otunba Alao-Akala had not learnt his lessons that it was because he did not carry other chieftains of the party along during his tenure that led to his downfall and the exit of the party from governance.

To them, the old scar is still very painful with the role played by the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who treated the party like his personal property.