Group urges Kwara legislators to improve on understanding of legislative engagement

By Correspondent in Ilorin

Legislative Watch,a national project for the assessment of legislators’ performance in Nigeria as well as apolitical organization,has urged legislators from Kwara state to improve their knowledge of the concept and understanding of legislative engagements to boost democracy in the state.

The Convener of the group, Mallam Abdulrazaq Hamzat, who gave the advice in a statement in Ilorin on Sunday, said the advice stemmed from the rating of both state and federal legislators by the organization, covering one year.

He said the rating was organized by a pro-democracy group, Kwara Must Change, based on verifiable standard in line with global best standards.

He said the legislators’ performances were tested based on quality representation, legislative advancement, executive oversight and constituency projects, being the key elements of legislative engagement.

He added that the result of the exercise showed that more than 90 per cent of members of the state House of Assembly scored below average, “signifying worsening state of legislative understanding.”

Hamzat, who further revealed that more than 80 per cent of members of the House of Representatives also scored below average, however, scored high, legislators representing the state at the federal level.

The convener said: “Based on the criteria, Senator Sadiq Umar from Kwara North Senatorial district emerged as the most performing lawmaker

“Hon. Bio Omar from Baruten/Kiaiama Federal Constituency and the Speaker,Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Danladi Salihu, emerged as the most performing members in the state and federal legislative engagements respectively.

He called on legislators whose performance, he noted, had not measured up to the peoples’ expectations to sit up and change a new leaf in order to justify peoples’ trust and their legislative responsibility.