Deconstructing Ekiti Assembly’s Trail Blazing Achievements

This article was written by Abayomi Oyebisi and is their personal view and thoughts, not that of Kikio.

The proposed Canada trip of the members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, has elicited a lot of hoopla. Some skeptics senselessly spewed hubris and viewed the intellectual adventure as misplaced and reckless. Some said it was insensitive, all because they accord low esteem and recognition to intellectual discourse and receptiveness.

Most significant was the arising inquiry regarding the claims that the Ekiti State House of Assembly has been recognized by the presidency as the best in ICT integration in Nigeria. This probe makes it expedient to reflect on the landmark achievements of the 7th Assembly, under the headship of Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye.

This becomes imperative because the tirades of some of these social media critics vividly confirmed high level ignorance about happenings at home. It seems they are in a state of quandary and disconnect. As someone who is fully abreast of the situations, we owe it a duty to duly educate and rescue them from the dark where they grope, confirming how ignorant they are about the substantial progress made by the current assembly.

Uninformed and destructive criticism has been the bane of Nigerian democratic growth. Opposition is good, but it has to be responsible. There must be due diligence. No room for intellectual laziness and armchair syndrome. Disappointedly, those who took opposing views and negative interest in this Canada’s trip were slothful. They did it with invidious intention, not in public interest.

To me, I saw a well contrived morbid game by some people to bring down a whole arm of government. It was ill-intended, badly packaged and desperately pushed to achieve a predetermined action.

Without the risk of being immodest, the accomplishments of the 7th Assembly over the past one year have been unique, astounding and truly commendable. These scintillating achievements demonstrate a robust commitment to independence and effectiveness, challenging any notion of being a rubber-stamp.

Here are some key highlights worth noting:

1. Legislative Activities: The Assembly has successfully passed 16 private and executive bills, along with 46 resolutions, reflecting the dedication and vibrancy of its members. These accomplishments can be verified on their official website: Ekiti State House of Assembly.
2. E-Parliament Adoption: By implementing an e-parliament system, the Assembly has modernized its legislative processes, earning recognition for its excellence in ICT integration.
3. Accountability Initiatives: The Assembly has ensured transparency by holding all Local Governments and MDAs accountable for their activities, reinforcing the importance of good governance.
4. Community Empowerment: The spouses of lawmakers have invested over N80 million to support widows, orphans, and vulnerable groups, showcasing a strong commitment to social responsibility.
5. Training Initiatives: The House has organized two training sessions at Ikogosi Resort, facilitated through sponsorship from partners. An additional training for all principal officers in the southwest is set to take place in November at the same venue, further emphasizing the commitment to capacity building.
6. Live Broadcasts: All plenary sessions are now broadcast live, enhancing transparency and allowing citizens to engage in real-time with their government.
7. Functional Website: A user-friendly website has been established to keep Ekiti citizens informed and to facilitate feedback on legislative activities.
8. Online TV Platform: The launch of an online TV platform marks another innovative step in enhancing communication with constituents.
9. Staff Benefits: For the first time, staff members have access to loans through an independent loans board, significantly improving their welfare.
10. Constituency Engagements: Assembly members are actively engaging with their constituents, fostering direct communication and promptly addressing public concerns.
11. Legislative Impact: Notably, the Assembly has achieved the highest number of private bills passed in its history, outnumbering executive bills for the first time, further underscoring its commitment to serving the people of Ekiti.
12. Remodeling of the Assembly Complex: The ongoing remodeling of the Assembly complex into a state-of-the-art facility stands out as another landmark achievement. This upgrade not only enhances the working environment for lawmakers but also symbolizes the Assembly’s commitment to modern governance.

Flowing from the above, it is, therefore, essential for self- appointed opposition to recognize the genuine impacts of the 7th Assembly. While I agree there could be dissenting views, the facts on ground clearly illustrate assembly’s unflagging dedication to progress, transparency, and the welfare of all Ekiti citizens.

On a final analysis, it was perplexing that some critics labelled this self sponsored planned trip to Canada a misplaced priority. Such viewpoint flagrantly disconnects from the realities of modern governance, which heavily relies on informed and intellectual approaches to legislation.

In the context of global trends, this trip is not only well-conceived, but beneficial to the governance and development of Ekiti. As the Assembly ramps up its oversight functions, monitoring, and evaluation, it is necessary to back these efforts to elevate the positive changes unfolding in Ekiti.

Abayomi Oyebisi , a public affairs analyst, writes from Ado Ekiti