Words, surely have tastes.
No wonder when someone made a statement which is considered sour or unfitting of them, people wonder if they chewed the words before spewing them.
The call for full Legislative Autonomy by the Nigerian Speakers Forum, as amplified by its Chairman and Speaker of the Oyo state House of Assembly is ridiculous to say the least.
I have my issues with the Forum in general because of their willing submission to manipulations by the state Governors.
They have been docile and powerless all this while, toeing whichever path their Governors chose, even if such a path was injurious and perilous to their own interests.
So, where is the courage to fight for their rights coming from now?
What is more disastrous about their present position is the fact that the Chairman of the Forum and the Oyo state House of Assembly Speaker is the one amplifying the call for Legislative Autonomy.
I ask, where did the young man get the mouth to make such a demand?
Was he not the one who made the infamous statement that he and his colleagues would not sign for Local Government Autonomy?
Was he not shamefully finding all manner of faults as reasons for taking such an unpopular position?
According to Ogundoyin, if financial Autonomy were granted to the Local Governments, there would be an upsurge of criminal activities in the Local Governments, such that the EFCC would not be able to cope with the rates of crimes!
Now, is he advocating for an upsurge of crimes in the states Houses of Assembly when Legislative Autonomy is granted or, he and his colleagues are special breeds, who are immuned from stealing public funds as they thought the Local Government Chairmen would have done?
Why is it so difficult for people in high offices to search their souls, measure their words and protect their integrity this days, at least occasionally?
Most of the state Governors we know,, deliberately search for weaklings and incompetent individuals to put in some critical positions.
Most people in sensitive positions nowadays do not deserve to be where they are and they themselves know and will do anything to retain such positions.
The Governor of Oyo state did not hide his disdain for the financial Autonomy to Local Governments.
The Governor has been suppressing the activities of the 33 Local Governments through the House of Assembly which Ogundoyin presided upon.
Even, himself have benefitted from such illegal acts taking benefits for his simbling.
If the Federal Government had not gone above the states Houses of Assembly and the Governors by approaching the Supreme Court to remove the obstacles created by both of them, we would still be nowhere near financial Autonomy for the Local Governments.
Now, flowing from the development, the Conference of Speakers are now founding their long lost voices?
I think Adebo Ogundoyin and his co travelers must be ashamed of themselves.
If you decide to roll on wild grass, shouldn’t your skin itch even if you won’t be ashamed?
It is the height of shamelessness to oppose Local Governments Autonomy only to spin and demand for Legislative Autonomy.
It’s unfortunate that the Speakers are just now averting their minds to the provisions of section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
What happened to section 7 of the same Constitution which they and their masters have been breaching for years.or should I say deliberately misapplying to suit their selfish interests?
My simple advice for Adebo Ogundoyin and his ilks is to be men enough to take their Governors to the Supreme Court to seek interpretation of section 121(3).
They have lost the good will for public sympathy when they chose to stand with the oppressors of the Local Governments.
This brings me to the Local Government Chairmen who are celebrating their first hundred days in office today in Oyo state.
I don’t know why it is difficult for people to be reasonable at least on few occasions like I said before.
What exactly is there to celebrate?
Interestingly, they have limited their shameless celebrations to the social Media platforms.
A hundred days in office is supposed to be a period to Commission projects.
Where are the projects?
The Emperor is away.
He has taken governance to wherever he is, scheming on how to plunder on whatever has accumulated in the Local Governments Bank Accounts.
I thought about it and felt that perhaps, the Chairmen are at least celebrating the fact that they are receiving salaries and allowances.
Obviously, it is a hundred days of no action as usual and I think the Chairmen would have done better by quietly celebrating the day within their consciousness.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
