By joshua GOVERNOR OKPEBHOLO, THREE ARMS MEANS THREE ARMS — NOT ONE HEADMASTER AND TWO PUPILS
By Saintmoses Eromosele (SME)*_
There is a proverb in Africa: when three men own a compound, one does not wake up and begin to keep the keys of the other two.
If he does, there are no longer three owners. There is one master and two tenants. That is the danger in what Edo State now calls financial autonomy.
You cannot collect a man’s key, lock his door, keep the key in your pocket and still announce that he is independent. That is not autonomy. It is autonomy on a chain.
Governor Monday Okpebholo has assented to laws affecting the financial autonomy of the Edo State House of Assembly and Judiciary.
We are now told that recurrent expenditure remains with these arms while capital projects will pass through the Executive for approval. But Section 121(3B) of the Constitution speaks plainly of money due to the Legislature and Judiciary for capital and recurrent expenditure. Not recurrent alone. Not capital subject to Government House approval. Capital and recurrent.
And Section 1(3) is equally clear: where any State law conflicts with the Constitution, the Constitution prevails. So when did the Governor become Headmaster of the other two arms? The Constitution created three coordinate arms of government—not one superior arm and two pupils.
The greater embarrassment may belong to the Legislature itself. A House of Assembly exists partly to check the Executive. So what happens when the watchdog willingly hands its chain to the man it is supposed to watch?
Today, relations may be cordial. Tomorrow, the same House may need to investigate the Executive. That is why institutions are built on law, not friendship. A Legislature should defend its independence, not participate in diminishing it.
On 19 August, the Speaker publicly assured Edo people: _“We are not reversing the autonomy.”_ He also said the changes would not affect the financial aspect.
Five days later, the Governor had assented, and the public explanation was that capital projects would pass through the Executive. So, Mr Speaker, what happened between Wednesday and Monday? Did the bill change? Were Edo people wrongly informed? Or did autonomy acquire a new meaning in five days?
When yesterday’s assurance and today’s reality begin to quarrel, somebody must explain which one is telling the truth.
And there is another question. The bills reportedly received First Reading on 19 August. By 24 August, they were law. Five days. For legislation touching the constitutional independence of two arms of government.
Where was the detailed debate? What committee examined the constitutional implications? Were the Judiciary, lawyers, workers and civil society heard? Was there a public hearing? Perhaps every proper step was taken. Then publish the record.
*THE DIFFERENCE I OFFER*
I seek to represent Esan Central in the Edo State House of Assembly. I will respect the Governor. But respect is not surrender. Cooperation is not subordination. Party loyalty is not constitutional blindness. When the Executive is right, I will support it. When it is wrong, I will say so. And when the House drifts towards constitutional error, I will stand, reason and defend the independence of the institution I seek to serve.
Esan Central deserves more than somebody who merely occupies a legislative seat. It deserves a voice, a conscience and a legislator with the courage to say no when no must be said. Because three arms means three arms. Not one Headmaster and two pupils.
*Saintmoses Eromosele (SME)*
_NDC Candidate, Edo State House of Assembly_ — Esan Central Constituency, 2027.
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