8th Assembly will legislate for a better Plateau – Deputy Speaker

Mr Yusuf Gagdi, the Deputy Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, says that the 8th Assembly in the state will make laws that will better the lives of the citizens of the state.

Gagdi, who made the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Jos, said that the Assembly would strive to enact laws that would take the state to greater heights.

He denied allegations that the Assembly was a mere “rubber stamp’’ for the decisions of the executive.

“Although 90 per cent of the members of the 8th Assembly are first-timers, the legislature is already doing things in a different way, unlike previous assemblies.

“’The 8th Assembly in Plateau is never and can never be a rubber stamp; we can never be a mere tool in the hands of the executive arm of government.

“We are already doing a lot of things differently, unlike before; we shall provide people-oriented legislation that will better the lives of the ordinary citizen.

“We will never compromise our stance in efforts to ensure that things are done rightly; we will not allow anybody remote control us,’’ he said.

Gagdi pledged that the Assembly would not allow itself to be used by the executive to enact laws that would be detrimental to the people’s interests.

He expressed optimism that judging by the calibre of the personalities that made up the 24-member legislature, particularly considering the fact that they emerged from different parties, the Assembly would be a vibrant one.

“This is the first time in the political history of the state that we have a balanced representation in the Assembly.

“It is, indeed, the first demonstration of true democracy because we have almost equal representation from the two major parties in the state.

“Members always engage in hot debates over issues. It is no longer the usual business whereby the House will just treat issues with levity because the party of all the members controls the government.

“So, from what I have seen so far, this very Assembly is very vibrant and sensitive towards issues that will bring meaningful development to Plateau State,’’ Gagdi said.

The deputy speaker, however, conveyed the legislature’s resolve to remain one indivisible arm of government, saddled with the responsibility of making good laws for the people despite the different party affiliations of the lawmakers.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 13 members of Plateau House of Assembly are from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while the remaining 11 are from the All Progressives Congress (APC).