The Third Assembly of Edo State House of Assembly was duly inaugurated on the 5th of June, 2007 following the conclusions of the 2nd Assembly and the subsequent conduct of April 14 General Elections to elect and to re-elect members of the House for the third Assembly.
In balancing the geopolitical equation in the state, the Speakership of the Legislative arm was zoned to Edo North Senatorial district of the State. This arrangement led to the choice of Hon. Zakawanu I Garuba as the Speaker of the House among his colleagues from the same Senatorial district. The choice of Hon. Zakawanu Garuba as the Speaker of the House, apart from the zoning arrangement, was based on the following attributes; proficiency, commanding influence and authority on legislative matters and superb human relations, which he effectively displayed during his first tenure in office.
The man behind the curtain of History, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba, an indigene of Auchi, became the first Etsako indigene from Edo North senatorial district and a Muslim to be elected as Speaker of the State House of Assembly since the creation of Edo State in 1991. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba’s election was devoid of intrigues associated with such exalted office, rather he emerged as the unanimous and consensus candidate of both his party, colleagues and the generality of Edo North people where the position was zoned.
During his first term Hon. Zakawanu Garuba served as the House Committee Chairman on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, a fulcrum on which the House revolved. In this capacity, he was the dejure Attorney – General and Justice Commissioner in the House. His sound legal advice on several knotty issues was the support based on which the House carried out its numerous constitutional responsibilities successfully. This feat won him the confidence and admiration of his colleagues in the House, party leaders and Edo people.
Additionally, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba was the ad hoc Chairman of the EDSOPADEC Bill. His Committee’s thorough and selfless work on the bill led to the crystallization of the law establishing the Oil and Gas communities’ Development Commission in May 2007; as well as the subsequent inauguration of the Commission’s board members by Prof. Osarhiemen Osunbor administration. Today, the Edo Oil and Gas Commission is the third of its kind in the nine states of the Niger Delta region, coming after those of Ondo and Delta States. With the Edo Oil and Gas Communities’ Development Commission in place, sustainable peace, progress and environmental integrity of these restive and poor communities are now guaranteed.
Hon. Zakawanu Garuba unveiled his plan action as a Speaker during his inauguration speech when he told a gathering made of his fellow colleagues in the House, Party Leaders and generality of Edo people that having realized that as Speaker of an arm of government which is constitutionally empowered to make laws for the betterment of Edo people, he becomes automatically a custodian of trust on behalf of both the House and Edo State people. He said it was sacrosanct; hence he would protect and preserve it jealously. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba also assured his colleagues of his determination to see and relate with them as colleagues on equalitarian basis and that he was only first among equals. While also urging them not to derail in their mission of serving the Edo people by allowing politics to take precedence over interest of the people, he pledged to strive to work as a team so as to improve on the performance of their predecessors in office.
On the relationship between the House and executive arm of government, Hon. Zakawanu said his leadership would co-operate with the Executive Governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor for the purpose of actualizing the dream of better Edo State and good governance but cautioned that the House would not fail to disagree, suggest and commend when necessary so as to strengthening the country hard-earned democracy. Within his 1 year in office, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba kept faith with all the promises made during the inauguration address.
Contrary to expectation, one unique feature Hon. Zakawanu Garuba leadership has provided is managing a House with the highest number of members from the opposition Party -Eight AC and 16 PDP members. Since the inception of the 4th republic in 1999, Edo State House of Assembly only witnessed two Hon. members of the then APP as members of the opposition party while in 2003 it was a complete PDP affair. Even the rallying point of Action Congress (AC) in Edo State and his governorship candidate in the April 14 2007 General Elections, Comrade Adams Oshiomole acknowledged the new found role of Hon. Zakawanu Garuba during an interview with a News magazine that “No matter what they say, for the first time in Edo State, in the House of Assembly, they are learning how to manage the opposition”. Inspite of this factor, since inception of the House, Hon. Zakawanu Garuba has done a marvelous job in steering the affairs of the Assembly to remain focus in its drive to ensure Edo State gets the best both in terms of good laws and other oversight functions of the House. Yet, he had cause to advise the House that in a presidential system of government, Honourable members should see themselves as honourable members representing the interest of their various Constituencies and not that of Political Party.
The Edo State House of Assembly commences her constitutional role of law-making immediately after its inauguration by constituting House Committees which are the engine room upon which of any vibrate House rotates.
RENOVATION OF LEGISLATIVE QUARTERS
After the inauguration of the legislative body, Mr. Speaker realizing the enormous task before the honourable members saw the paramount importance in members’ accommodation needs. As a man who is well known for his prudence and probity, he jettisoned the idea of interim hotel accommodation with the huge cost attendant by quickly sought and securing the approval of State government to renovate the legislators’ quarters which houses the 24 members of the House including the Principal Officers. In addition, the main gateway to the quarters was reconstructed to further enhance the security of the legislators’ quarters. Today, the former shabby looking legislators’ House now wears a new look befitting the status of a legislator.
In order to further ensure the welfare of honourable members of the House and avoid unnecessary distractions during legislative work, the Speaker provided two functional boreholes to further guarantee flow of water round the clock in the their Quarters.
While efforts was being made by the Speaker to replace the old and epileptic generating plant in the legislators quarters, relief came through NDDC, when a former member of the House, who is now a commissioner in NDDC representing Edo State, facilitated the donation of a 500KVA generator to the House. The NDDC gesture according to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba is “a big relief at the right time”
Presently, under reconstruction in the quarters are water sub-station; which when completed, will serve both the legislative quarters and the neighbouring streets and the massive drainage works that is expected to serve as flood control measures especially during raining season.
STAFF TRAINING
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu I. Garuba belongs to a school of thought that believes that human resources development and application to work environments hold the key to organizational success. Based on this factor, guided by the available resources of the House, Honourable members and members of staff now avail the opportunity to develop themselves through study tours, training programmes, workshops and seminar both within and outside the country.
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THE EXPECTED NEW LOOK PARLIAMENT
Following the approval of His Excellency, Senator (Prof ) O. Osubor, the Edo State House of Assembly building will witness massive renovation works. This renovation is expected to take place when the House is on the annual recess
CONCLUSION
It is no doubt Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba has been able to manage the Assembly for result within his one year in office.
While some other State Houses of Assembly across the country are making Headlines out of crises especially in terms of Impeachment, snatching of mace, scandals, withholding of budgets, executive and legislative face offs, Edo State House of Assembly has enjoyed relative peace and harmonious relationship with all stakeholders in the State.
Based on these, the Speaker has received and still begging offer of merit awards from many reputable organizations across the country for performance and leadership qualities. Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba does not see himself as a hero in this regard but as a pencil in the hand of the creator to ensure that Edo State of everybody’ dream is achieved As a man of his words, Rt. Hon. Zakawanu Garuba has promised Edo people much improve House of Assembly in the next session. There is no doubt about that when viewed against the backdrop of the tranquility that is occurring in the House since he assumed office.
