In Lagos the House speaker could speak without fear

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It could be said that the Lagos chapter of Action Congress is practicing real democracy hence the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji could speak boldly against Governor Babatunde Fashola. It shows that in Lagos State, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary are very much independent of one another and free to criticize where necessary. But one expects constructive criticisms.

This may not be said to be true in Akwa Ibom State where I reside because here, all the arms of the government including the State Party executive council are controlled by the Executive. They call it ‘good relationship between the three arms of government’ but the masses see it as ‘compromised relationship’. I am happy that Ikuforiji said that he could have collected money from Fashola and sing his praises but he preferred not to; but here in Akwa Ibom, his equivalent would even beg the governor to allow him praise-sing for him. He can even ‘kill’ for the governor.

Mr. Ikuforiji rated Gombe, Rivers and Akwa Ibom governments’ performances higher than his Lagos State, but I would not know what parameter he used to arrive at his conclusion. I wonder how many times he visited Akwa Ibom or could it be that he considered the praise-songs going on in the media for Akwa Ibom government? If this is so, then he has unwittingly fallen prey to what he accused Governor Fashola of. I hear that in Lagos, concretes talk for Fashola. But take an instance where our governor Akpabio was quoted as having said that some parts of Akwa Ibom now enjoys uninterrupted power supply. I do not know why some government officials elect to tell cheap and controvertible lies and yet people kowtow and praise-sing for such.

Itoro Akpabio

Umuahia Road

Ikot Ekpene, AKS