- Says executive-legislative friction unnecessary
From John Adams, Minna
The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Abadulmalik Sarkindaji, has said that the cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature does not in anyway mean that the state’s 10th Assembly serves as a rubber stamp for the executive in the discharge of is constitutional functions.
The speaker pointed out that friction between executive and legislature is not only unnecessary but undemocratic as such tensions often hinder genuine development needed in a democratic system.
The Speaker was speaking in Minna when he presented the 2024 budget passed by the House to the Governor Umar Mohammed Bago for his assent.
According to him, “We know what we are doing as legislators; we are not in any way [a] rubber stamp to the executive. Oftentimes, when there is cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature, people give a negative interpretation to it to mean that the legislative arm is a rubber stamp to the executive.
“Unnecessary friction between the two arms of government does not provide the enabling environment for genuine development needed in a democratic system. It robs the electorate of the dividends of democracy and that is what we, the elected leaders at all levels of government, must avoid,” the Speaker stated.
He maintained that the development of the state and the fulfillment of campaign promises to the people of the state should be the most important thing to both the executive arm and the legislature at such a critical period in Nigeria’s history.
Sarkindaji, commending the governor for his leadership and for providing the necessary environment to enable the Assembly perform its legislative functions, assured him that the Assembly is ready to support and partner with the executive towards realising the “new Niger” vision of his administration.
Earlier, the governor had commended the Assembl for passing the budget within the record time of a week after it was presented, stressing that the 10th Assembly has made the government and the people of the state proud with the speedy passage of the budget.
He reassured the Assembly of a smooth working relationship, even as he appealed to the lawmakers that the relationship between the executive and legislature should remain cordial for the overall benefit of the people.
The Assembly had at it plenary earlier in the day passed N613, 994, 801, 697 as against the N613, 274, 801, 697 appropriations bill submitted to it by the governor for the 2024 fiscal year with increase of N720 million.
The new budget passed by the House of Assembly follows report by the House Standing Committee on Appropriation presented by the chairman of the committee and member representing Rafi constituency, Hon Zubaru Ismaila, at the floor of the House.