Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria have sought the support of Nigerian governors to expedite action on achieving fiscal federalism and establishing state police.

To achieve this, the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, in Ilorin. The meeting focused on building institutional synergy between the legislative and executive arms at the sub-national level.

Ogundoyin briefed the NGF chairman on the wide-ranging reforms initiated under his leadership of the Conference of Speakers.

“We are committed to repositioning State Houses of Assembly to be more impactful, autonomous, and responsive to the needs of our people. We believe that collaborating with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is critical to achieving these objectives,” he said.

The conference chairman presented key reform initiatives aimed at promoting legislative autonomy, capacity building, public accountability, and intergovernmental cooperation nationwide.

Ogundoyin also solicited the support and partnership of the NGF in ensuring the successful actualisation of these reforms nationwide, describing the NGF as “a key ally in driving institutional change.”

“We are not working in isolation. For meaningful change to happen, we need our Governors. Their partnership is crucial and pivotal,” he said.

On the ongoing constitutional amendment process, the conference chairman emphasised the importance of aligning the positions of the NGF and the Conference of Speakers to ensure the success of key amendments that reflect current realities and those that will strengthen Nigeria’s federal system.

“We look forward to a united front on constitutional reform. This is a historic opportunity to reshape governance for the better, and collaboration between our two bodies is essential. We need the Governors’ Forum to support key legislative proposals such as devolution of power, fiscal federalism and state policing,” he said.

Responding, Abdulrasaq commended Ogundoyin for his proactive leadership and reaffirmed the NGF’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions across the country.