Hon. Lukman Olalekan Adeleye

Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, says the legislative arm in the state is performing within its limited space but remains constrained by executive dominance and the absence of full autonomy.

Speaking on a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM Ilese-Ijebu, on Monday, Adeleye rated the Assembly’s oversight and accountability functions at 60 percent, citing regular reviews, active committees, and numerous engagements with government agencies over financial irregularities.

“As a legislator, we have a pivotal role to play in democracy  in ensuring good governance, checks and balances, accountability and probity. Yes, we are the bedrock of democracy when you talk about constitutionalism, true representation, oversight and legislation,” he said.

He acknowledged the progress made at the national level, where the National Assembly now operates with financial and administrative independence. “To God be the glory, today the National Assembly is autonomous. Constitutionally, it is self-funded except where you have leadership that has chosen to be a rubber stamp to the executive.”

However, Adeleye lamented that such independence is yet to trickle down to the states. “Coming back to the State Assembly, I’ll tell you without mixing words that the gains recorded at the national level are still far better than what we have at the state assemblies,” he said. “We still depend on the information unit and finances of the state government. In this way, we are handicapped.”

He explained that the constitution provides for a state allocation committee headed by each state’s Commissioner for Finance to manage disbursement of federal and internally generated revenue among the judiciary, legislature, and executive. But in practice, the executive arm continues to dominate, taking the lion’s share of resources and leaving little room for legislative independence.

Despite the limitations, Adeleye maintained that the Ogun Assembly under the leadership of Daisi Elamide, The Speaker of Ogun State Assembly, had made commendable strides in promoting good governance through legislation. “Today, we are doing well as a state in terms of internally generated revenue. Ogun State is the most industrialized in Nigeria,” he noted. “The Assembly has been doing its best through good legislation to enhance and promote governance.”

He scored the Assembly 60 percent in oversight, adding that it conducts quarterly comprehensive reviews of ministries, departments and agencies, with an active Public Accounts Committee functioning as the legislature’s internal anti-graft mechanism.

“We have over 60 MDAs expected to submit their books yearly. Where we suspect misappropriation or financial impropriety, we summon the persons or companies involved in the presence of security representatives. Where our observations are not palatable, we write to anti-graft agencies for further investigation,” he said.

On public engagement and accessibility, Adeleye said the House is open to the public. “We have a functional website where all our activities are documented and monitored. In Odogbolu, my constituency office is open for walk-in requests and petitions. My staff are highly dedicated and relay messages to me in a matter of moments.”

He emphasized that one of the challenges the legislature faces is poor visibility due to its dependence on executive media infrastructure. “The problem is that the activities of the State Assembly are poorly reported because we are not yet autonomous. Until we achieve that, not many people will know what’s going on.”

In response to concerns raised by constituents over the recently introduced toll charges on the dualized Ijebu-Ode–Epe Expressway, Adeleye said he had immediately acted on behalf of his people. “As soon as I saw the project documents and the Public Transportation Policy release, PTP, I submitted a petition. The toll gate is within my constituency, and it was necessary to speak up before my people are unnecessarily punished,” he said.

Reiterating his long-standing advocacy for legislative independence, Adeleye expressed optimism about the future. “Everything is a process, and I believe very soon, joy is coming for the House of Assembly.”