I Held Tinubu, Fashola Accountable as Lagos Speaker -Ikuforiji

I Held Tinubu, Fashola Accountable as Lagos Speaker -Ikuforiji
Urges Nigerians to Hold Governors, LG Chairmen Accountable
… Praises Tinubu’s Economic Management

Former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, has urged Nigerians to begin holding their governors and local government chairmen accountable for governance and public expenditure, Eko Hot Blog reports.

Contents

EDITOR’S PICK
FURTHER READING

Speaking with journalists in Lagos on the state of the nation and the economy, Ikuforiji lamented that state legislatures across the federation have become weak appendages of the executive, unable to check the excesses of governors.

EDITOR’S PICK

He recalled that during his tenure as Speaker under then-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Lagos Assembly regularly summoned the governor to give account of his stewardship.

“The states and local governments collect over 50 per cent of what comes to the centre. We must begin to demand accountability,” Ikuforiji said.

“Unfortunately, the state houses of assembly now are so weak, they are not able to do anything. Most houses are like apron strings of the executive.”

The former Speaker, who is also an economist, commended President Tinubu’s handling of the economy despite global challenges, saying the President “deserves distinction” for the way he is running national affairs.

Ikuforiji attributed the rising poverty levels reported by the World Bank to poor governance at the subnational level.

“How won’t poverty be high when governors are not doing what they should do to alleviate it? When council chairmen are not doing what they should do to lift the people?” he asked.

I Held Tinubu, Fashola Accountable as Lagos Speaker -Ikuforiji

Reflecting on his years in office, Ikuforiji noted that the Lagos Assembly under his leadership held governors Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola accountable even at the height of their popularity.

“When Fashola was the toast of the nation, we still held him accountable,” he said. “Whatever he did, the House would challenge him.”

On the 2027 general elections and the emerging opposition coalition, the former lawmaker dismissed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “mere noisemakers” incapable of challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC) dominance.