By Adeola Badru

The Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria and Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Debo Ogundoyin, has called for strengthened collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to advance legislative reforms and accelerate constitutional amendments across the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the NGF Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, Ogundoyin emphasised the need for enhanced synergy between the legislative and executive arms at the sub-national level.

He briefed the NGF Chairman on key reforms introduced under his leadership at the Conference of Speakers, stressing the importance of institutional partnership in deepening democratic governance.

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

The Conference Chairman outlined reform initiatives focused on legislative autonomy, capacity building, public accountability, and inter-governmental cooperation, and urged the NGF to support their implementation nationwide.

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

On constitutional amendment efforts currently underway, Ogundoyin stressed the importance of aligning the priorities of the Conference of Speakers and the NGF to ensure the passage of meaningful reforms.

“We look forward to a united front on constitutional reform. This is a historic opportunity to reshape governance, and collaboration between our two bodies is essential,” he noted.

He also appealed for NGF’s backing on critical legislative proposals such as devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, and the creation of state police structures.

In his response, Governor Abdulrasaq commended Ogundoyin for his proactive leadership and reaffirmed the NGF’s commitment to supporting democratic institutions and driving reforms that enhance good governance across the states.

Earlier in the day, Ogundoyin met with the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu. The two speakers exchanged insights on legislative collaboration and discussed the priorities of the Conference of Speakers moving forward.