Lawmakers Don’t Have To Fight With Executive – Katsina Speaker

Hon. Ya’u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo is the Speaker, Katsina State Assembly. In this interview with MUAZU ELAZEH, he explains the secret behind the state Assembly’s leadership stability over the years. He also argues that granting full autonomy to local governments will be counterproductive, among other issues.
In most state Houses of Assembly, there have been frequent changes of speakers but in Katsina there is relative stability; what is the secret?
It is as simple as counting one’s fingers. The secret, if that is what it is, is transparency and honesty in leadership. When you are leading people, you are automatically their servant. Any leader who wantsto succeed must have this at the back of his mind and be guided by the overall interest and needs of the people they lead. In the Assembly, we try as much as possible to be fair to all concerned while respecting every member because they entrusted the leadership on us. I think this is basically the secret because, by so doing, we have been able to secure the confidence of the entire House and every member sees us as his leader with whom he feels secure. You see leadership of the state Assembly is one of the most transient of all powers one can ever think of because it is one leadership that you wake up with but have no guarantee of sleeping with it. So if one is conscious of this, the best you can do is to carry everybody along.
In Katsina, we have been able to realize this secret and have been living with it, hence the stability we are currently witnessing. Our guiding principle has been to manage the honourable members well by ensuring justice to the best of our ability, especially on matters that involve rights and privileges of the honourable members. We try as much as possible to run an open leadership where we have direct contact with members and involve everybody in the area of decision making. We have never unilaterally taken any decision except to involve everybody by seeking their contributions. Importantly too, we receive maximum support from the executive. There is hardly any resolution of the House that is not implemented by the executive. This support has helped in ensuring the existence of a closely knit Assembly which has translated in increased confidence on the leadership. You will agree with me that once there is confidence in the leadership by the followers, there won’t be this issue of frequent changes of leadership. So in Katsina, there is no such frequent changes of leadership at the Assembly because the leadership enjoys the support and confidence of every lawmaker.

 What is your take on the allegation that the Katsina State Assembly is merely a rubber stamp in the hand of the executive?
You see, I have said it repeatedly that this allegation is baseless and worthless more than one can ever imagine. You see, people assessing the Assembly this way are among those who will always want to hear instances of confrontation between the Assembly and the executive. In fact, I must state, too, that all these people want is to hear that the executive and the legislature are holding each other by the jugular for no just cause. But you see, we are partners in progress who are working for the good of our people. We are elected by the people to provide them the needed leadership and we know that we are accountable to both the electorate and our creator. So if we have an executive that is doing the right thing, why should we fight it? And if we don’t fight it because it is doing the right thing, should we then be termed ‘rubber stamp’? The answer is no. As I have said earlier, the remarkable progress recorded in Katsina State is possible with the support and cooperation of the three arms of government and I can’t imagine where Katsina State will be by now if we were busy fighting one another for no just cause.
There has never been a time where we the state Assembly sent  a resolution to the executive that it was not honoured as recommended by the law. Additionally too, we have been involved in some decision making processes which eventually get implemented by the executive. So how can we then engage the executive in squabbles? And if we don’t, should that make us rubber stamp? We are elected to support every development initiative for the state and its people. This is the same zeal the executive has; so how can we hold each other by the jugular? There is absolutely no reason whatsoever. We have common goals and are convinced that fighting the executive, as some people will rather see us do, amounts to fighting ourselves and retarding our progress. I laugh often when I hear people make this allegation because I know that we are not rubber stamp because we are actively involved in all the development initiatives currently going on in the state.

We just witnessed the presentation of 2013 budget to the Assembly by the governor; how satisfied is the House with the implementation of the 2012 budget?
Well we are very satisfied because there was a desirable level of success recorded in its implementation. In fact, I can say without mincing words that we have had over 90 percent implementation. The Assembly’s standing committee which did an oversight function of visiting projects sites to assess the level of implementation brought a favourable report to the House. And don’t forget that, these projects that formed the basis of the budget are situated in the state which is the constituency of the members of the state Assembly. So during the weekends, we visit project sites in our constituency and every member has one project or the other being executed in his constituency as budgeted for. The executive releases money for execution of projects to ministries on a quarterly basis and after every quarter, our committees engage in oversight function where it brings progress reports back to the House. It is from those reports that we are able to assess what the executive has done. In fact, the governor has done very well. So it is this assessment that informs our judgment on the state government’s performance as far as the budget implementation is concerned. Having said this, I must add, too, that we will ensure speedy passage of the 2013 budget.

What is you take on the much talked about local government autonomy?
You see, if we talk of local government administration, there are so many things involved. To advocate financial autonomy for the local government as is being spearheaded by some people – where the state is not supposed to be involved – is not the ideal thing. I think it will be a wrong decision because,we are still learning this democracy. It is not yet time for the local government to stand on its own. We have to monitor it and get a body to checking that tier of government. If we don’t do this, I have no doubt that most of those currently agitating for autonomy will be the ones who will end up saying they no longer want the autonomy. If you give the local government this autonomy, it will be abused by the leadership at that level and few that are benefitting so much so that we will reach a level where even salaries will not be paid for lack of resources to do that. I think we have to rethink this issue of autonomy. If the local government must have autonomy, I think it should be a step by step thing. But then, the decision belongs to Nigerians. I am sure there will be a lot of confusion if the type of autonomy currently being proposed is granted the local government. I am talking more as someone who has the experience of local government administration.

How has the Katsina State Assembly fared under your leadership?
We are grateful to God for taking us this far but I think I am not the ideal person to answer this question because doing that may seem like engaging in self adulation. I think this question ought to be directed at the members who have entrusted the leadership on us. Are they impressed with our leadership? Have we really been able to justify the confidence reposed on us? Of course, my colleagues at the floor of the House will be in a better position to answer this.

This is your second term as the speaker of the state Assembly; what is your greatest achievement?
We thank almighty Allah who brought us to this seat and we thank both members and staff of the Assembly for not only having the confidence but, more importantly, for giving us all the necessary support and cooperation. In fact, whatever we have achieved in the past and hope to achieve in the days and months ahead are made possible through the unflinching support of both members and staff of the Assembly. We have been able to operate as one family and this has contributed greatly to whatever successes the Assembly as a whole has recorded. I must add, too, that we have continued to receive utmost support, good will and cooperation of the both the good people of Katsina State and the executive council with the governor, Dr Ibrahim Shehu Shema being very supportive.
From 2007 to date that I have been serving as the speaker, we have been able to ensure cordial working relationship between the legislature and the executive. In fact, my greatest achievement has been in facilitating this cordial relationship which has contributed immensely in ensuring the unhindered provision of good governance to the good people of the state. Without any fear of contradiction, Katsina is blessed  to have recorded appreciable level of success and this was made possible through the working relationship between the executive and the legislature. We have a very cordial working relationship and the presence of dedicated members have helped greatly. We have been able to ensure smooth passage of bills that have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the state. As I speak to you, some of the bills have passed second reading, even as some have been referred to the committees. It gladdens my heart to see that since becoming member of the state Assembly in 2007, I have supported the making of people centred legislation aimed at repositioning the state and its people. in the months and years ahead, we hope to record more achievements as we are geared up to deliver our constitutional responsibilities of making laws that will improve the living condition of the state and its people.