4th March, 2020
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa on Wednesday stressed the need for harmonious relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government, as it will bring about seamless governance.
The duo spoke while addressing newsmen at the opening of the three-day 15th edition of the Executive/Legislative Parley held in Lekki area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The theme of the parley is: “Harmonious relationship among various arms of government: A necessity for a Greater Lagos.”
According to Sanwo-Olu, the parley was to see how governance had fared in the state and how both arms of government could continue to collaborate to realize the greater Lagos dream of all Lagosians.
“It is a working relationship that will bring about development and governance that will be seamless for our people and at the end of the day we would have a progressive and hitch free understanding of ourselves once we realize that the roles and responsibilities are different.
“We are here to iron out and resolve things that are very contentious or if there is any advise we need to give ourselves and at the end of the day our citizens will be the beneficiaries,” he said.
Th governor added that the essence of the programme was to bring about positive and quality governance representation at the highest level where people would feel the dividends of democracy so that they would see that “Lagos will continue to experience purposeful development. So it makes governance in itself seamless and a win-win situation for all of us at the various level of governance.”
Sanwo-Olu stated that the parley was also for state representatives at the National Assembly to acquaint the state with critical issues that they were facing in Abuja and also see what they could do to address some issues critical to the state in Abuja.
“It is also an opportunity for our party leaders to remind us of the promises we made to the people as well as the party manifesto and to ask us how we are faring.
“So, at the end all of us will be better enriched, geared and motivated to go out there and deliver all the dividends of democracy at all levels of governance, and we will continue to ensure that we foster a working relationship and understanding that everybody has a role to play and giving everybody the deserved respect and opportunity for everybody to begin to do well and play their role in governance and greater Lagos conversion that we are talking about,” he said.
Also speaking, Obasa said the platform was for harmonious working relationship “where information, understanding and collaboration is a major factor in all that we are doing.”
He said the parley would enable them to continue to build on what they have achieved, as “we are supportive of the executive arm and we will continue to do that to ensure we serve our people, but that does not mean we will turn a blind eye to something we feel we must look into.”
The speaker said the state Assembly needed the collaboration of the state representatives at the National Assembly in its bid to amend the constitution to achieve some of the things it had been clamouring, lik special status for Lagos, state police and a transportation system that would allow the state and neighbouring states to connect together.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale said the essence of the parley was to share experiences and explore the inherent benefits in running an inclusive government devoid of silos, saying in order to actualise the THEMES agenda, there was need for all hands to be on deck.
“It is important for all arms of government, particularly the executive and legislative, to work hands in glove. This is the essence of the parley,” he said.