Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are determined to ensure a harmonious relationship between the Executive and Legislature at the central government and states under their control.
The governors who operate under the aegis of Progressive Governors Forum has since inaugurated a Steering Committee saddled with this responsibility with Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his Katsina State counterpart, Aminu Masari as members.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu, who represented his boss said the governors have noted that animosity between lawmakers and governors at the state and between the Presidency and National Assembly was a distraction to governance and were determined to stem the tide.
He said: “In order to ensure the achievement of this progressive goal, the Forum has set up Programmes Steering Committees Structured and constituted to provide the required technical services to its member states. One of which is the PGF Legislative Programme Steering Committee that will primarily provide PGF members with clear and concise contextual recommendations in terms of the legal framework governing government processes and decisions.
“The Committee monitors on-going government operations, identifies issues suitable for legislative review, gather and evaluate information and recommend a course of action to PGF. It is also expected to promote and advocate the interest of the PGF member states regarding laws, regulations, socio-economic policies and other developments that may affect our states and the APC as a whole.
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“Further to this, is our recognition of the fact that the Legislature is the backbone of any democracy. No democracy can flourish except, and until its legislature is strong and progressively active. Part of the objectives of the PGF Legislative programmes, therefore, is to ensure cordial relations between our legislatures and those of us operating in the executive arm.
“Our goal is to develop a good framework of engagement through initiating activities that would enable us to review emerging challenges regularly and based on that seek to manage and regulate all emerging differences such that conflicts between the executive and the legislature at all levels where APC rules are minimised, as these conflicts would only continue to weaken our capacity to meet the expectations of our citizens.”
Honourable Shuaibu further revealed that his Committee has since opened discussions with relevant principal officers of both chambers of the national assembly.
“I particularly thank the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi and the House of Representative Majority Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa for accepting to be part of our Legislative Programme so as to guide the process and ensure seamless synergy of engagements between Progressive Governors and our APC representatives in both chambers of the National Assembly.
“Eventually, our projection is that activities would be developed to involve our APC state legislators. Although for this inaugural meeting both Sen. Abdullahi and Hon. Doguwa are unable to join us because the meeting clashed with sessions of their respective chambers, they have given us their commitment to actively be part of the work of the Committee.
“We have accordingly instructed the PGF Secretariat to ensure that subsequent meetings are not fixed on dates when legislative sessions are taking place. In addition, steps must be taken to consult the two leaders before meetings are fixed to ensure their availability.”
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