By Bisade Ojoye
The Speakers of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Mudashiru Obasa and his Ogun State counterpart, Rt. Honourable Olakunle Oluomo have urged Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates to help in protecting Nigeria’s democracy.
The duo who on
Thursday were at the second edition of NLC annual Independence Day Anniversary Lecture with the theme “Nigeria in search for an enduring political structure: imperative of structural reform” held at the NLC Ogun State headquarters opined that the Nigerian nation would be able to proffer solutions to her myriad of problems
if various unions and individuals work conscientiously towards the sustaining her democracy.
Obasa who was the chairman of the occasion frowned that inspite of the country’s democracy with legislative arms of government both at the national and sub-national levels some individuals in position of authority were attempting to ‘pocket’ them, citing instances where principal officers of Houses of Assembly were being removed at the whims and caprices of powerful individuals.
The Lagos State Speaker said, “It is high time we all rose to protect Nigeria’s political institution, the parliament. We have seen cases where the civil society looked away while democracy faces danger from some individuals.
“We have seen cases where the parliament was closed and where a governor carried out inauguration of legislature by midnight.
When you have a legislature that is answerable to a single person, you can’t progress or meet collective goals or say we are practising democracy. We have heard of a state that already had four Speakers in less than four years.
“It is also surprising that even among the elite, you find that there are some people who do not know their representatives at the parliament, yet these parliamentarians make the laws that guide their activities and actions.
As a union, our concern should not be about where we work, our salaries and welfare alone, we should also protect our institutions.
“I am not saying you should be partisan, but at least, play a role in guiding our democracy.
In that way, it will be difficult for individuals to determine how the parliament, which is the true symbol of democracy, should operate,”
Oluomo, who was Special Guest of Honour, in his own opinion, Nigeria is simply practises civil rule and not democracy.
“If you have a vibrant legislature, you have democracy,” he stressed.
Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Nafiu Aigoro, who also represented Governor Dapo Abiodun promised that the government would continue to focus on the welfare of workers.
In his address, Comrade Abinbola Bankole, chairman of the NLC in Ogun State said though Nigeria has been facing many challenges and was emphatic that blame-game would not solve the problems, advising that if Nigeria must work, citizens must be interested in how their country was being governed.
The guest lecturer at the event, Chief Mike Ozekhomhe who did extensive analysis of the nation and it many challenges stated the problems with Nigeria were fundamental and systemic, suggesting a new constitution for the country.
“No president who rules Nigeria will do well. Until we do serious structural adjustment or realignments, none of the current presidential candidates: Tinubu, Atiku, Obi can make any spectacular difference. Mark my words. it is not a curse but statement of fact”.
He emphasised that if there was constitutional review and structural adjustment he was optimistic Nigeria regain her pride of place in the comity of nations.
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