The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has described the newly-inaugurated House of Assembly in the state as a contraption by Governor Ayodele Fayose to protect his personal interest instead of working to restore hope for the state’s development.
The APC noted that such selfish agenda holds no promise for the growth of the state and political development of the people.
A statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said the membership profile in the new Assembly had revealed many men and women lacking skills in tedious business of lawmaking were “selected” to be members of the Assembly above eminently qualified Ekiti State sons and daughters to enable Fayose breathe on them to always have his way.
Olatubosun said only few of them are worthy of the exalted position of legislators.
He said in the statement: “We all saw the intrigues that characterized the primaries that returned the new members. It was ballot snatching and violence on massive scale. The same for April 11 Assembly poll.
“Fayose just selected his cronies across the state above well-educated members and imposed them on the party. Most of them are miscreants and school drop outs who Fayose compensated as honourable members.
“Fayose’s public declaration of political death for any member who works against his interest points to where Ekiti people are headed in the business of lawmaking in the next four years.
“We saw the first public declaration of loyalty by the Assembly members on the day of inauguration when they all prostrated for Fayose in the chambers, stating he is their father.”
Olatubosun regretted that majority of the present lawmakers in the House of Assembly could have been described as local government councillors as records of many of them indicated a crop of people lacking courage and basic knowledge in contemporary lawmaking business.
He said further in the statement: “Because of their inadequacies, they will legitimise and encourage illegality and impunity because they won’t understand the nitty-gritty of lawmaking process and independence of mind required in making laws that benefit the larger society outside the narrow interest of the governor.
“We cannot compare this Fifth Assembly with the outgoing Assembly in terms of composition of members. The last Assembly was composed of members who have seen it all. They are professionals, such as lawyers, medical doctors, pharmacists, architects, policy makers, public analysts and retired top civil servants.
“These are the educated people Fayose will not work with because of their courage and independence of mind. In their place are Fayose’s thugs and those that helped him to undermine the law to always have his way.
“Ekiti people should brace up for many surprises and bizarre legislations from this assembly mostly composed of the people of questionable character working with the governor to achieve predetermined ends.”