By Rayyanu Bala

The presentation of 2018 budget proposal to the state House of Assembly by Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura has provided further evidence in the study of good but mutual working relationship between the executive and the legislators in the state.  2018 budget otherwise known as Appropriation Bill which was presented at the floor of the state House of Assembly on Wednesday 29, 2017 could also at best be described as splendid in view of its richness and of-course, its uniqueness.
What makes the budget to be unique was that for the first time in the history of Nasarawa state, Appropriation Bill passes its first reading in next to no time after its presentation at the floor of the House.
This was indeed, a spectacular episode ever experienced in the state and this is attributable to shared working affiliation between the two arms of government in the state.
For the benefit of hindsight, 2018 Appropriation Bill got this kind of adornment by the Members of the State House of Assembly simply for its, as said earlier, richness in terms of contents and also in term of steadfastness and reliability of the presenter of the budget in the person of Umaru Tanko Al-makura.
Of –course, Members of the State House of Assembly notice in Governor Al-makura all the good qualities they could depend on, bank on and indeed count on, in the discharge of their legislative business of law making for the good of the state. This invariably, explains why virtually all the demands put before them by Governor Al-makura do enjoys not only accelerated hearings/ readings but enjoys trouble-free passages.
Nasarawa state House of Assembly under the leadership of Right Honourable Speaker Abdullahi Balarabe believes that any demand that comes from the executive arm to the legislative arm are demands that can not in anyway be considered as rubbish only good for dustbin. In other words, Governor Al-makura’s demands are just too good to be dump or ditch in view of unwavering commitments and the vision that Governor Al-makura has towards moving the state to an enviable height.
Majority of Nasarawa state indigenes do reason and appreciates our state legislators on the faith they have in all that Governor Al-makura send to them for considerations and approvals. Indeed both members of the state House of Assembly and the people of the state have good reason to believe that Governor Al-makura will not send anything to the House that is inimical to the general wellbeing of the people. And since the demands are for the best interest of the state so why wasting time and energy in considering and approving them? The mutual working relationship existing between the executive and the legislators in the state can easily be seen and appreciated against the background of this understanding.
The unwavering trust by the legislators in the ability and the quality of leadership being providing by Governor Al-makura led administration could only be equated with existing mutual relationship between the British House of Lords and the Queens palace. In fact relationship between not only the two arms of government but both the arms ditto: Executive, Legislators, Judiciary and the Press are supposed to be cordial as both were meant to compliment each other.
In the light of this, I find the phrase “rubber- stamp” frequently used by some to downgrade the legislative arm as uncomplimentary and an act to cause disharmony which must be stopped in the interest of democracy and good governance.
Democracy and good governance are indeed, backbone of all forms of development without which no country can advance especially at this modern age, thus any one criticizing or condemning our legislators for being a “rubber stamp” is an enemy of democracy and good governance in the state.
Without fear of being immodest, the kind of understanding and cooperation extending to the executive arm by the legislators in the state are mark of maturity and as well, part of collective responsibility of moving the state forward so as to enable the state stands over and above it peers.
Those that want to see our legislators in constant conflicts with the executive must get it in a clear terms and language that Nasarawa state is not mature for that kind of ridiculously complicated process of law making.
The high quality of members’ mood at the presentation of the 2018 Appropriation Bill christened “Budget of sustainable development“at the floor of the State Assembly as well as the immediate passage of first reading of the Bill which has an estimate of N122 billion to be spent in 2018 fiscal year representing an increased of 34.26 per-cent over N67 billion budgeted for 2017 was a demonstration of mutuality between the two arms of government in the state. Anyone who doesn’t want to see our legislators working in harmony with the executive should please direct his displeasure elsewhere for the forces of light have since over-shadow that of darkness in the state.