By Kolawole Ojebisi
The Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, has explained why the National Assembly decided to name its library after President Bola Tinubu.
Barau spoke on Monday in Ibadan at the 7th annual Senator Abiola Ajimobi roundtable and 75th posthumous birthday of the late former governor of Oyo State.
The event was held at the University of Ibadan.
Responding to questions from discussants at the roundtable, he explained the rationale behind naming the National Assembly Library after President Tinubu.
He said, “On the issue of the naming of the National Assembly Library, we decided to do that because we felt that it is the only time in history, the first time in history, that a former senator was elected to lead this country.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a senator, and his wife was a senator. So, we felt these two things that happened in the National Assembly should be appreciated. And so, we decided to name the library after our dear president because of his history as a former senator.”
Barau also noted that the role of legislative oversight in a democratic society could not be overemphasised “because it is the bedrock of democratic governance, ensuring accountability, transparency, and the much-needed checks and balances which enhance the effective use of public funds.”
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, in his address, submitted that effective legislative oversight required close collaboration with the executive.
“In conducting oversight, the principles of cooperative government and intergovernmental relations must be taken into consideration, including the separation of powers and the need for all spheres of government and all organs of state to exercise their functions in a manner that does not encroach on the geographical functional or institutional integrity of government in another sphere.”
Other dignitaries at the event were the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje; Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma; Leader of the House of Representatives, Julius Ihonvbere; former deputy governors of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan and Moses Adeyemo; the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, among others.
