The Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has reiterated the urgent need for predictable funding mechanisms and modern tools to enhance the capacity and performance of State Houses of Assembly across the country.
He made this call today in Abuja during his goodwill message at the Consultative/Validation Meeting on the Needs Assessment of State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria.
According to Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin, the institutional, operational, and structural challenges faced by State Legislatures can only be addressed through deliberate reform, capacity building, and improved access to modern legislative tools.
He said that for democracy to thrive and for legislatures to deliver on their constitutional mandates, they must be equipped with adequate resources, supported by robust frameworks, and shielded from financial uncertainties.
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The Conference Chairman emphasized that State Assemblies should not be treated as appendages of the Executive but as co-equal arms of government.
He noted that stable funding, improved research and documentation capacity, well-trained staff, functional committee systems, and modern digital legislative tools are essential for driving accountability, transparency, and good governance at the subnational level.
Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin also commended the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for their continued partnership and investment in strengthening Nigeria’s legislative institutions.
He acknowledged the Needs Assessment Report as a significant step towards identifying and resolving the deep-rooted challenges confronting State Assemblies.
In his concluding remarks, Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin charged all Speakers and legislative leaders present to approach the report with a sense of urgency and responsibility.
He urged them to turn the findings into actionable strategies that will transform the legislative landscape and improve democratic outcomes for citizens.
“The time for excuses is over. This report provides us with a clear path—let us walk it together for the good of our people and the future of our democracy,” he said.
