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In this interview with Sola Isola, the Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun revealed that the 8th Assembly under his watch has passed three bills, while 13 others are being read on the floor of the house.
Egbedun dispelled the notion that the House of Assembly is a rubber stamp, revealing how Governor Adeleke has given the Osun Assembly enough chance to operate within the scope of the constitution.
How will you describe your experience so far as Speaker of the house?
So far, So well. God has been faithful, public office generally is tasking. The office of the Speaker is not an exception. I have been able to learn new things, multi-task and relate more with the people and I must say it is what we signed up for because we promised our people that they will be well represented, so what that means is that we must give whatever it takes to ensure the delivery of all our promises. That is what makes the difference between our governance in Africa and other continents of the world, even where we took democracy from, but one thing I can assure the people of Osun state is that this current assembly means business and all their representatives who are my colleagues in this house are up to the task, so we will surely deliver.
What will you say is the greatest achievement since you became speaker?
I am not sure which to say is my greatest achievement because you know they say success is the achievement of goals, so what that means is when I set a goal and achieve it, I am successful but then I know there is always something that stands out, it probably gives you joy when you remember it. So for me, I think its the way this assembly intervened in the Staff Audit process that almost caused an impasse between the workers and the government.
There were alot of conversations going on then, some people even said the assembly doesn’t have the power to do this or that, but I keep emphasizing, that we are representing people so we must do things that protects the interest of the our people but also upholds the Nigerian constitution, so what did the constitution say about the issue and did we contravene the constitution.
People didn’t really have issues with the audit, though opposition party took on it to criticize the government, but then the only issue people involved in the audit had with it is the manner at which they are being treated by the agency handling the audit and I am telling you that our intervention in the process was applauded by many people because it is unprecedented.
We called the consultant, we called the government officials who were aggrieved as well and we created a leveled playing ground for everyone to say their views and opinion, thats our job, so when I read or hear people say it’s not part of their job, I just laugh.
How did you achieve this?
Well it’s very simple, there is a popular maxim that “united we stand”, the cooperation of my Honourable colleagues made it possible and also the entire Labour Union in the State. It is also pertinent I commend His Excellency, the Executive Governor of the Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke for yielding to the House resolution on the matter because it is one thing for the House to come up with a resolution, it is another thing for the Governor follow our resolutions and thats one thing I will always commend Governor Adeleke for, give us the free hand to operate as legislators.
What will you say has made the difference between this Assembly and the previous ones?
Well, I am not part of the previous ones but I can say without sounding immodest that this 8th Assembly is been propelled by the zeal to make a positive difference. We have been able to raise the bar of legislation in the State. We are able to achieve all these because we are united irrespective of the party.
If I may, I will dare to call this an assembly like no other, maybe after but never before and what we are doing in this assembly is raising the bar, making a difference.
A number of people will say the assembly is a ‘rubber stamp’, what do you have to say about that?
To start with, thats not true but you know its a general notion and so I won’t be surprised if people say that because most times people just say things, they don’t know what’s happening behind the scene, they don’t know what it took us to achieve some of the things we achieved, they just came to that conclusion, so I wont judge them.
Making laws can never be called rubber stamping, because there is a laid down procedure to make laws, its also within the scope of our work to watch over the executive, we invite them where we feel an explanation needs to be given by any head of a government agency.
Its also our job to treat petitions sent to us against any government official, so we have several interventions here and there.
So when people say this, I invite them to come and see what we do in the house.
What’s are the bills the assembly has passed or under reading?
The 8th Assembly was inaugurated on the 6th of June, 2023 and from that time till now, we have passed 3 bills, Osun State Anthem Crest and Flags Bill, 2023; Osun State Tertiary Institutions Staff Retirement Age (Amendment No. 1) Bill, 2023 and Osun State House of Assembly Service Commission Establishment (Amendment 3) Bill, 2023.
We have 13 bills that are under review, they are; Osun State Local Content Bill, 2023; Osun State Community Social Responsibility Bill, 2023; Osun State Disability Projection Bill, 2023; Osun State Illegal Mining (Prohibition) Bill, 2023; Osun Erosion Control And Public Safety Bill, 2023; Osun State Agency Regulatory Authority Bill, 2023; Osun State Roads Fund Bill, 2023; Osun State Skating (Restriction) Bill, 2023; Osun State High Court Registrars, Customary Court of Appeal Registrar, Osun State Magistrate and District Customary Court Presidents Retirement Age Bill, 2023; Osun State Road Maintenance Agency (Establishment) Bill, 2023; Osun State Lotteries and Gaming Bill, 2023; Osun State Employment Trust Fund Bill, 2023; Osun State Local Government (Creation and Administration Amendment No. 6) Bill, 2023; Osun State Urban and Rural Access Road Authority Bill, 2023
How come you know all these bills without checking a book, did you cram them?
(Smile) Well, you will know them if you are the Speaker, you just have to know them because you don’t want to look stupid before your Honourable colleagues and you don’t want to mix them for each other, so its a lot of reading, reading and reading.
Do you have bills you have sponsored as a member of the house? What are they?
Yes, I have two Bills, I mean, why wont I have, thats why I was voted for, thats why I am here. So when I came I sponsored Osun State Lotteries and Gaming Bill, 2023 and Osun State Employment Trust Fund Bill, 2023.
And there are other ones we are working on but I can not disclose to you now, we are working round the clock to ensure that we do our best for our people.
How will you describe your relationship with other members of the house? Did the responsibilities of the office give you enough time to relate with them?
To be honest with you, it take a lot of being deliberate to build a relationship when you become speaker but to think of the fact that we are actually colleagues and I am only privileged to be speaker strikes the balance for me.
So, we have a harmonious relationship. We relate very well, in fact beyond even the daily activities of the House, I ensure that I have an interpersonal relationship with each and every of my colleagues.
Its been one year since Governor Ademola Adeleke was sworn in as Osun State Governor, how will you rate his performance?
His Excellency, Sen. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke is a blessing to Osun State. His sterling performance has left the naysayers dumb and I will continue to say that I think the fact that he is the Governor of this state at this time is divinely or orchestrated by God and events of the last one year has proven that right.
Even though he is paying outstanding debts including workers’ salaries owed by the previous APC administration, this didn’t affect infrastructural development across all sectors.
Who can imagine that the projects listed in the multibillion naira infrastructure plan is possible. It is no longer a charade and I think by now, the people of Osun state already knows the difference, they know they have not wasted their vote by voting for Ademola Adeleke, he is the best man for the job.
With your emergence as Speaker, will you say the Governor has given the Assembly enough grand to operate?
If you will remember, when I was speaking earlier, I said the Governor has given has given a free hand to operate, that is to tell you that the Governor has never dabbled into House of Assembly matter. Take for instance, it was the executive that hired the Staff Audit consultant and when it was going appropriately, we stepped and the Governor obliged.
If it were to be some Governors, they’ll probably lock the House of Assembly but Governor Adeleke is not like that, he listens to us, respects and obey our resolutions because what he wants for this state is the progress so to him, no matter what it takes, this state must progress.
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