Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, on Tuesday, met with Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, seeking the governor’s support for legislative autonomy.
Ogundoyin, who took the campaign to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said the Speakers’ Conference also sought reforms to promote public accountability, capacity building, and inter-governmental cooperation.
Ogundoyin further gave details of the reforms being sought by the Conference of Speakers while stressing the need for efficient synergy between governors and state houses of assembly.
Ogundoyin said, “We are committed to repositioning the State Houses of Assembly to be more impactful, autonomous, and responsive to the needs of our people. We believe that collaborating with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is critical to achieving these objectives.
“The Conference of Speakers has key reform initiatives designed to promote legislative autonomy, capacity building, public accountability, and inter-governmental cooperation across the country.
He solicited the partnership of the NGF to actualise the reforms nationwide.
“The Governors’ Forum is a key ally in driving institutional change.
“We are not working in isolation. For meaningful change to happen, we need our governors. Their partnership is crucial and pivotal,” Ogundoyin said.
On the ongoing constitutional amendment process, Ogundoyin emphasised the importance of aligning the NGF and the Conference of Speakers to align their positions.
He stressed the need for the amendments to reflect current realities, especially those that would strengthen Nigeria’s federal structure.
He added, “We look forward to a united front on constitutional reform. This is a historic opportunity to reshape governance for the better, and collaboration between our two bodies is essential.
“We need the Governors’ Forum to support key legislative proposals such as devolution of power, fiscal federalism, and state policing.”
Speaking, Abdulrasaq reaffirmed the NGF’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions across the country.
Abdulrasaq said, “Earlier today, I also visited the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, where we shared insights on inter-legislative collaboration and the priorities of the conference going forward.”