The Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Congress of Nigeria are locked in a battle over the propriety or otherwise of the official trip of the wives of Oyo State lawmakers to the United Kingdom.
The trip, led by the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Monsurat Olajumoke Sunmonu, is to enable the lawmakers’ wive learn how to assist their husbands in their legislative duties.
It was learnt that the lawmakers’ wives are staying at the Custom House Hotel at 272-283 Victoria Dock Road, London and shopped at the popular Peckham Market on Sunday.
But back home, the Peoples Democratic Party in the South West berated the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for approving the spending of public fund for the United Kingdom trip.
The party described the trip as a waste of Oyo State resources.
The Zonal Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Kayode Babade, who issued a statement on the issue, alleged that over N50 million was approved for the trip.
The statement reads: “As we write, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Monsurat Olajumoke Sunmonu, is in London with wives of members of the House of Assembly.
“We learnt they will be spending eight days in London to undergo training on ‘Husband Support.’
“Also with them are retinue of aides of the Speaker and some Principal Officers of the House of Assembly.
“They are presently accommodated in Custom House Hotel, London and yesterday (Sunday), the Speaker led them on a shopping spree in Peckham.
“The hotel where they are lodge is about £100 per night, with 10 nights paid per person, making £1,000. On hotel accommodation alone, over £50,000 will be spent on this trip that has no single benefit to the people of Oyo State.
“And if we may ask; is it in our constitution to send wives or husbands of House of Assembly members on courses, especially outside the country? Were they voted for?
“In the opinion of Governor Ajimobi, what benefit is Oyo State and its people going to derive from this jamboree on which over N50 million tax payers money is being spent?”
In its reaction, the ACN said that the PDP was merely displaying ignorance by alleging that it was the state government that sponsored the trip.
The party’s position was contained in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Hon. Dauda Kolawole.
According to the release, the principle of separation of powers requires that the executive, legislative and judicial arms of government operate independently of one another and what is happening in Oyo State is of no exception.
The party said that the state House of Assembly was independent of the executive arm of government and runs its own budget and expenditure, stating that it was not the executive’s business what the legislature or the judiciary does with its budget.
According to the ACN, the PDP was only crying wolf as, according to it, if this claim was true, then PDP members of the House must have been beneficiaries of this exercise as well.