The Plateau State House of Assembly will not be a rubber stamp of the Executive, a lawmaker has said.
The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Gagdi, said “although 90 per cent of the members of the 8th Assembly are first-timers, the legislature is already doing things in a different way, unlike previous assemblies.”
“‘The 8th Assembly in Plateau is never and can never be a rubber stamp; we can never be a mere tool in the hands of the executive arm of government.
“We are already doing a lot of things differently, unlike before; we shall provide people-oriented legislation that will better the lives of the ordinary citizen.
“We will never compromise our stance in efforts to ensure that things are done rightly; we will not allow anybody remote control us,” he said.
Mr. Gagdi expressed optimism that the Assembly would be a vibrant one especially as members were from different parties.
“This is the first time in the political history of the state that we have a balanced representation in the Assembly.
“It is, indeed, the first demonstration of true democracy because we have almost equal representation from the two major parties in the state.
“Members always engage in hot debates over issues. It is no longer the usual business whereby the House will just treat issues with levity because the party of all the members controls the government.
“So, from what I have seen so far, this very Assembly is very vibrant and sensitive towards issues that will bring meaningful development to Plateau State,” he said.
Mr. Gagdi, who stated these in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Jos, said that the Assembly would strive to enact laws that would take the state to greater heights.
The deputy speaker, however, conveyed the legislature’s resolve to remain one indivisible arm of government despite the different party affiliations of the lawmakers.
Thirteen members of Plateau House of Assembly are from the Peoples Democratic Party while the remaining 11 are from the All Progressives Congress.
(NAN)
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