The Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, has blamed the underwhelming performance of the state legislature on what he described as executive interference and the continued absence of financial and administrative autonomy for state assemblies.
Adeleye, who represents Odogbolu State Constituency, made the remarks during a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, on Monday.
He said although the Assembly has shown commitment to oversight and accountability, its efforts remain limited by the grip of the executive arm.
“The performance of the Ogun Assembly is at best 60 percent, not because we are incompetent, but because we are constrained,” Adeleye said.
“The executive still controls the finances and the media infrastructure, and that severely limits our effectiveness and visibility.”
The lawmaker, who has consistently advocated for full legislative independence, pointed out that while the National Assembly now enjoys financial autonomy, state legislatures continue to operate under the shadow of state governors.
“To God be the glory, the National Assembly is now autonomous. But at the state level, we still rely on the executive for funding, information dissemination, and even day-to-day operations,” he lamented.
“That makes it difficult to function as an independent arm of government.”
Adeleye explained that although the constitution makes provision for a State Allocation Committee to fairly distribute funds among the three arms of government, the reality is that the executive continues to dominate the process—often to the detriment of both the judiciary and legislature.
Despite these challenges, the Minority Leader noted that the House, under the leadership of Speaker Daisi Elemide, has made some progress, especially in oversight and legislation.
“Our Public Accounts Committee is very active. We do quarterly reviews of over 60 ministries, departments and agencies. Where there are suspicions of financial misconduct, we act swiftly and refer cases to anti-graft agencies,” he stated.
On accessibility, Adeleye maintained that the Assembly is committed to engaging the public.
He highlighted his personal efforts in keeping constituents informed and involved, citing his open-door constituency office in Odogbolu and a functional legislative website.
He also responded to growing concerns over the newly introduced toll on the Ijebu-Ode–Epe Expressway.
According to him, the toll gate falls within his constituency, and he has already submitted a petition to challenge the move.
“I acted immediately after reviewing the Public Transportation Policy documents. It’s my duty to ensure my constituents are not unfairly burdened,” he said.
Reaffirming his stance on autonomy, Adeleye said the legislature cannot be effective until it is free from executive control.
“We are the bedrock of democracy—true representation, checks and balances, and accountability rest on our shoulders.But we must be truly independent to play that role,” he asserted.
The lawmaker expressed hope that legislative independence would eventually be realized across the country.
“Everything is a process. I believe that very soon, joy is coming for the House of Assembly,” he said.
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