Politics
RVHA Considers Bill On Violence
Matters of urgent public interest formed the major
plank of legislative activities at the Rivers State House of Assembly last week in Port Harcourt.
The House, last Thursday, witnessed a swam of both past and present lawmakers, including visitors who had come for the valedictory session held by the Assembly in honour of the deceased elder statesman and its Second Republic Deputy Speaker, Chief Godspower Umejuru Ake.
The Deputy Speaker of the 8th Assembly, Hon Marshal Uwom standing for the Speaker, Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima who was away for other official duties, described the late Ake as a very humble politician whose legacy is worthy of emulation by all politicians in the state.
Ake, Uwom noted, was a selfless leader, whose political career was devoid of violence, acrimony and greed.
Assuring the family of the full support of the House for burial arrangement, the Deputy Speaker constituted a five-man committee headed by the lawmaker representing Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Constitutency 1, Hon Christian Ahiakwo, for a befitting burial.
Speaker after speaker, cutting across political divides, showered encomiums on the deceased politician who, at various times, served as State Chairman and National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Among them were former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, Hon Christian Ahiakwo, former House Leader, Hon Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja who urged the political class in the state to emulate the peaceful disposition of the late Ake and work for the unity, peace and progress of the society, irrespective of party affiliation.
The House had on Tuesday entertained a bill for a law to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
The bill, sponsored by the Leader of the House, Hon Martins Chike Amaewhule and the lawmaker representing Emohua Constituency, Hon Samuel Ogeh and entitled: “Rivers State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill 2016”, sought to raise years of imprisonment for rape to 20, 14 and 12 years respectively without option of fine, depending on the level and manner of the offence and the ages of person or group involved.
The bill also seeks 3 years or fine of N500,000.00 or both to anyone who abandons a wife or husband, children or other dependants without any means of sustenance.
The bill passed through the first reading at the plenary session of the house after a motion raised by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon Evans Bipi and seconded by the Leader of the House, Hon Amaewhule.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima who adjoined the debate on the bill, to the next sitting, commended its sponsors, saying that the bill, when passed into law, would reduce crime and violence rates against persons, especially against women, children and persons living with disabilities in the state.
Subsequently the house also adopted the resolution submitted by Hon Evans Bipi Leader, House Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions on the matter between Abua/Odual communities and the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) in the state.
According to the Committee Chairman, Hon Bipi, Abua/Odual Council was directed to pay N1,500,000 installmentally to settle the N15,000.000 claimed by PHED as debts owed by the communities in the area.
The House also directed the company to supply steady power to the people, as the council agreed to comply with the Assembly directive.
On the same Tuesday, the Assembly led by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Marshal Uwom and the Information and Training Committee Chairman, Hon Samuel Ogeh addressed protesting members of the National Association of Plant Operators, who alleged that Daewoo Construction Company sacked them without severances.
Addressing the protesters Uwom reiterated the assembly’s commitment to the protection of the rights of the citizenry.
Enoch Epelle
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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