Newly elected Chairman of the Majority Leaders Forum of Nigeria, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade has said that the forum was established to collaborate with the Speakers of the states houses of assembly.
Agunbiade said that this will help in deepening democracy by promoting cross learning, and engendering experience sharing amongst the state houses of Assembly.
The Majority of the Lagos State House of Assembly, added in his acceptance speech at the maiden national convention of the forum in Lagos.
Agunbiade said the forum shall focus on adoption of best legislative practices in the nation’s law making processes and striving boldly at promoting national integration across ethnic divisions.
“We are prepared and set to be partners in legislative progress with the conference of speakers realising that legislature is the signpost of democracy.
“I will declare that our tenure as officers of the Forum shall wish to be measured by positive actions than long speeches.
“Therefore, while soliciting for the continued support of my colleagues, I do hereby pledge never to disappoint you,” he said.
The new chairman of the forum told journalists that the purpose of the forum is in realisation of the fact that legislature is the signpost of democracy and that there is need to deepen democracy.
He said that majority leaders as head, who take charge during pleanary, needed to deepen democracy in the process of lawmaking.
“We need to come together and learn from ourselves with a view of collaborating with the speakers to deepen democracy.
“When you look at the legislature you have people from different background and for being made the majority leader you have to work within your members and everybody wants you to listen to him or her.
“It’s not easy to balance interest, and so you offend people in the process of balancing interest. When you want do a motion, you have to list names of people who support the motion, but there would be problem if you inadvertently omit some names because everybody wants his or her name to be there,” he said.
Also commenting, a special guest at the event, and Speaker of Ogun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo said that the coming together of the Majority Leaders in the country portended advancement and sustainance of democracy for the nation.
Oluomo said that when those at the helms of affairs work together as the Speakers work together, then the result is advancement of the nation’s democracy.
He then appealed to the speakers and majority leaders to work together for the purposes of democracy.
He said further that the autonomy of the legislature is ongoing and that it is part of the provision of the nation’s constitution.
According to him, autonomy should be based on consolidated revenue, while declaring that the budget of a state might make autonomy difficult to implement, adding that if the budget was not properly prepared there might be problem with autonomy of the legislature.
“Don’t allow the Governors to use divide and rule tactics for the assembly. They don’t want the Speakers and the Majority Leaders to be on the same page.
“The Majority Leader should not leave the Speaker and go to the Governor. Work with your speakers. Present yourself to your Speaker as the person he could trust.
“Governors want to create problem in the House. The moment you allow them to divide the House, then there will be problem.
“Let us find a way to relate very well with our Speakers. When the Majority Leader and the Speaker work together, then the Deputy Speaker will not have much influence,” he said.
Oluomo stressed that the Majority Leaders were the backbones of the Speakers, and promised to continue to work for the progress of the legislature.
In his comment, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, who was represented by Hon. Ganiu Okanlawon (Kosofe 1) at the event, commended the Majority Leaders and promised his support for the forum.
Obasa stated that the forum was a good development for democracy, adding that all hands must be on deck to make the Nigeria democracy work
