Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday, inaugurated the members of the House of Assembly Service Commission and the Government Liaison Officers appointed to oversee the 14 federal constituencies in the state.

The Governor also stated that his administration remained determined to empower the people and deliver dividends of democracy to the people of the State.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the Governor stated these at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, while inaugurating the two bodies.

During the inauguration of the House of Assembly Service Commission headed by the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Abdulwasi Musah, the Governor charged the Commission to remain independent and to guide the House of Assembly on that path.

He said: “I will like to congratulate the members of the House of Assembly Service Commission on your appointment, which was based on merit. Honourable Abdulwasi Musah, you have been the Deputy Speaker before and I believe the experience you have gathered in such an exalted position will be utilized in this present assignment. And I also need to say that there is a clear distinction between politics and governance.

“Governance is looking after the wider interest of the entire state while politics deals with one’s political leaning but this is governance and we want you to have the wider interest of the state at heart in discharging your duties.

“I also need to add that there is a clear separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary. So, we don't want a rubber-stamp legislature.

“We want you to assist us to achieve that objective where debates are very robust. Sometimes, I may even sign things that will come to the House of Assembly, which are not totally my idea because I and other executive members take decisions based on consensus. So, my personal preference does not fly sometimes when we hold EXCO meetings.”

Similarly, Governor Makinde, while inaugurating the Governorship Liaison Officers, said they were put in place as his eyes and ears across the State in order to assist him in the onerous task of empowering the people of the state.

He charged them to ensure effective feedbacks to the Government in order for it to be able to deliver on its promises to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.

The Governor said: “During the campaign, I promised the people that nobody will reap from where he has not sown and I won't give what belongs to someone who has worked to another person who has not done anything. So, I am counting on you to assist me and this administration to come true on that promise. You will all be the unifier in your various federal constituencies.

“This is fulfilling for me because I now have eyes and ears in all the federal constituencies in Oyo State. The assignment for you is very simple and straight forward. We have to empower our people. Though we do have party machinery in all the federal constituencies but, sometimes, just like we experienced choosing interim officers for the local government, the party apparatus in most places is polarised. So, you are the people I am relying on to unify the party apparatus.

“It does not matter which faction you belong to or where you are all coming from. Before the 2019 election, late 2018 to be precise, all of us came from different places. We met some inside PDP and some came from the Labour Party. Some came from SDP too but we thank God that our journey from then till now has been fruitful. So, you must all have it at the back of your mind that your assignment is solely based on the empowerment of the good people of Oyo State.

“Also, while undertaking your duties, you must know that feedback to the government is essential. My appeal to you is, use this position to take dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.”

In their separate responses, the chairman of the House of Assembly Commission, Dr. Abdulwasi Musah and the chairman of the Liaison Officers, Chief Jacob Adetoro, both appreciated the Governor for the confidence reposed in the members of their separate bodies, promising to discharge the responsibilities in the interest of the State.

Wasi said: “As a former Deputy Speaker and a Ph.D. holder in Law, I will put my experience as well as my academic achievement in bear towards working in line with what the Governor said.

“We will ensure that the autonomy of the parliament is ensured in all that we do, even though that will not be translated into making the parliament to stand in friction with the Executive or the Judicial arm of Government. So, that is our mandate and we promise the people of Oyo State that we will live up to that promise.”

In the same vein, Adetoro said: “We are grateful to the Governor of Oyo State for counting us worthy of these positions, and I want to pledge that we shall not disappoint you. We see ourselves now as the bridge that links the party to the government and we shall do our best to promote that course with fairness and all the rest of it.

“Since we have been given this assignment now, I know that every one of us will sit up and perform our responsibilities.”

•PHOTO: Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde flanked by the Chairman, House of Assembly Service Commission, Hon. Abdulwasi Musah (second left); Mr. Dele Hassan (left); Hon. Adekunle Alabanla (second right) and Hon. Moses Ojoawo, during their inauguration in the EXCO Chamber, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.