A member of the House of Representatives, representing Irele/ Okitipupa federal constituency of Ondo State , Hon. Mike Omogbehin, has said Nigerians are not being fair in their judgment and assessment of the Eight Assembly.
Omogbehin accused the Executive of selling out the legislators in bad light to the Nigerian publics.
He alleged that the Executive has, sometimes, sponsored brutal lies against the legislators because they dare to ask questions.
Omogbehin said members of the eighth Assembly were even scared to talk due to the perception of Nigerians on their integrity.
The lawmaker spoke at the Ondo State Correspondent Chapel’s Secretariat, where he was given commendation letter for his impact on his constituents and constituency.
Omogbehin said “We have three arms of government in Nigeria, and in all democracies of the world, we have Executive, Legislative and Judiciary
“In Nigeria since 1960 two arms of government have been consistent, the Executive and Judiciary. But the only arm of government that is always disrupted is Legislative arm of government
“I dare to say that Nigerian are very unfair to us as Legislators, in their Judgment and assessment of us
“They should know and appreciate the fact that we are young. Naivety cannot be taken away from us as young arm of government, we are evolving, everytime we evolved, we are distrupted, we start form scratch
“For Nigerians to expect us, that we are going to outgrow this over night is over-expectation from us
“Nigerians should understand that the representative of the people in a democracy is the legislative arm of government. We are actually, what can be defined as democracy
“And, because of over bearing burden and the experience of the Executive, over the years, they have so bastardized us, they have sold us in bad limelight to the Nigerians populace, the very people we are represeting because sometimes, we dare ask questions
Blantant lies have been told against us, lies that you find so difficult to defend. Some of these things might have been there before, but I can tell you, in this eight Assembly, we are in the true service to this nation
“None of the Assemblies, from the first to the seventh have rolled out the number of bills we have rolled. None, put all of them together
“As at today, we have gotten 25 bills assented to by the President within two years, yet, Nigerians still access us by the past “. He said.
Omogbehin also described as untrue, some national dailies reports that members of the House of Representatives have been given 200 vehicles.
He described the report as another sponsored lies aimed to set the masses who they represent, against them.
He said ” I read in the Newspapers that 200 vehicles have been given to Members of House of Representatives, I want people to come to my house and show me where are the cars”.
“They accused us of collecting walldrope allowance, kitchen allowance and every other sort of allowance, all these things are there. Maybe next time am coming, I will show you my basics . The world are judging us wrongly”.
The lawmaker disclosed that one of the challenges facing the legislators is the lack of basic books and training induction in the National Assembly.
He called for the need for media professionals and other institutions to research into the legislative needs of the legislators for effective representation of the people.
“There are no basic books and training induction even when you get to the National Assembly, expect the two weeks induction training you get
“Every four years in Nigeria there are about 70 percent turnover of members of representative. So, the dearth of experience in the National Assembly is being depleted every four years
“When we we came in, Only 30percent of us were retained, 70percent of us were new
“Now if you compare and juxtapose that against the Judiciary, and the Executive , you will now see that there is no how we can match up if we continue this way. These are some of the problems we are facing “.
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