Politics
Rivers 8th Assembly: Two Years After
Precisely June 1, 2015, the
8th Rivers State House of Assembly (The current Assembly) was inaugurated after April 17th and 18th, 2015 legislative elections in the state.
Representatives of the Assembly were elected from 32 constituencies of the State with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the majority.
Shortly after the inauguration of the Assembly, the House elected it’s officers with the lawmaker representing Andoni Constituency, Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani emerging as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly.
The emergence of Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani placed him on record as the 9th Speaker of the State House of Assembly since the inauguration of the Assembly in 1979.
Other house officers elected include Hon. Marshal S. Uwom (Abua/Odual constituency), Deputy Speaker; Hon. Martin Amawehule (Obio/Akpor Constituency 1), Leader of the House; Hon. Loolo Dinebari (Khana constituency 1), deputy leader; Hon. Evans Bipi (Ogu/Bolo), Chief whip; and Major Jack representing Akuku-Toru constituency 1, Deputy Whip of the Assembly.
The House, in the election of its officers in 2015, skipped the position of minority leader as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had swept all the state constituencies, except Eleme Constituency that was won by Hon. Josiah Olu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Subsequently, the 8th Unicamera Assembly also constituted 31 committees to carryout oversight functions of the House.
However, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, without prejudice piloted the affairs of the Assembly.
Notable among the bills passed into law under his leadership in 2015, was the 2015 supplementary budget of N104 billion, the budget he passed on the very day he stepped aside as speaker of the House.
Apart from the bills passed into law, there was over six bills pending in the Assembly when he stepped aside for undisclosed reasons.
The bills spilled over to the same 8th Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudima, who replaced Ibani on December 19, 2015.
Two days after Ibani stepped aside, the Appeal Court in Abuja sacked 13 members of the Assembly, majority of whom were of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.
The 8th Assembly later had 19 members to be presided over by the then new leadership of the House, Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima.
Though, two out of the 19 were sworn-in following a court order and alleged absentism.
The two lawmakers included Hon. Victoria Nyeche, representing Port Harcourt Constituency 1, and Hon. Andrew Miller, representing Opobo/Nkoro constituency whose election was later voided by the court. He was later replaced by Hon. Adonye Diri of the PDP.
Nonetheless Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima piloted the affairs of the House from December 19, 2015 to December 30, 2016, when he resigned as Speaker of the House.
Within the period of Rt. Hon. Dabotorudima leadership as Speaker, the Assembly passed several motions and over four bills into laws, resolved petitions, and also carried out over sight functions.
Notable among the laws were the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, (Amendment No. 2 law, No. 6 law, 2016 (Executive bill), the Rivers State local government (Amendment No. 1) law No. 5 of 2016; and the “Rivers State Violence
Against Persons (prohibiting bill, 2016.
The bill was sponsored by the leader and lawmaker representing Obio/Akpor Constituency I, Hon Martin Amaewhule, and lawmaker representing Emohua Constituency Hon Samuel Ogeh in the House.
The House under the speakership of Rt Hon Dabotorudima also passed in December, 2016, the 2017 appropriation bill of N470 billion. The bill was tagged “Golden Jubilee Budget of 2017”.
The 8th Assembly handled petitions and carried out oversight functions to agencies, companies, and some state’s ministries.
The House, under the leadership of Rt Hon Dabatorudima, organised a 3-Day workshop for members in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State in October, 2016.
The 8th Assembly again changed its leadership on December 30, 2016, when Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima resigned, and Rt Hon. Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani was re-elected as the Speaker of the House.
The Assembly, on same December 30, 2016, sworn-in additional 12 elected members, whose Certificates of Return were issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winners of the last re-run legislative elections held on December 10, 2016 in the state.
Unlike the 2015 election, the APC was able to clinch six constituencies in the December 10, election, which brought the number of opposition to seven.
While the election of the speakership was smooth the election minority leader sparked off controversy from among APC members.
Nevertheless, the lawmaker representing Asari-Toru Constituency, Hon Ferdinand Anabrabra of the APC was elected to the position.
Between December 30, 2016 and June 1, 2017, when the 8th Assembly clocked two years, the House under the second leadership of Rt Hon Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani passed 10 motions and some five bills into law. They include the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) Amendment law No. 1 of 2017, the Rivers State Reserve Fund (Repeal) law No.3 of 2017, the Rivers State University law no 4 of 2017, the Rivers State Honours Law No 2 of 2017; and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital Law no. 5 of 2017.
The Assembly in June, 2016 also held colloquium in commemoration of the Rivers State at 50. At the event, the majority leader of the House, Hon. Martin Amaewhule, said the 8th Assembly has so far passed a total of 17 laws and taken resolutions on 66 motions.
Also in June, the Assembly, through its committee on environment, held the Port Harcourt Environmental Summit in conjunction with the State Ministry of Environment and the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RWAMA) to create awareness on the need for a sustainable environment.
Speaking with The Tide, the speaker of the 8th Assembly, Rt Hon Ikuinji-Owaji Ibani said the House embarked on the summit to have a first-hand-knowledge that could provide a frame work for a bill to preserve and sustain the state’s environment.
Apart from the summit, the Speaker said the Assembly passed legislative oriented laws and motions that have direct bearing on the Rivers’ people.
On the whole, the 8th Assembly passed a total of 17 laws, 66 motions and entertained over 35 petitions in its two years. 80 per cent of the laws are executive bills, while 20 per cent are individual’s.
The entire 17 laws have since been assented to by Governor Wike.
The Speaker has assured that the Assembly would continue to do more within its powers to enable the state Governor execute more developmental projects and programmes in the state
Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability has condemned the defection of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Executive Secretary, Civil Society Coalition for Good Governance, Budget and Accountability, Amb. Emmanuel Nkweke, who said this in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt also described as illegal all legislations passed by the defected lawmakers.
Amb. Nkweke described the defection as “monkey politics’, queried the rational behind the action of the lawmakers few months after being sworn into office, adding that members of the civil society community were yet to be told reasons for the defection.
“Up till now, we are yet to be told why they defected just few months of being sworn into office. For me, that is monkey politics”, he said.
He urged the lawmakers to go back to their former party and beg Rivers people for forgiveness, adding that if that is done, they may be welcomed back.
Amb. Nkweke also cautioned the lawmakers not to allow themselves to be used to do the bidding of an individual, adding that the present administration in the state needs the support of all to move forward.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the group has commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for giving civil societies the latitude to operate freely in the state.
He alleged that civil societies were caged in the last eight years, adding that there was no breathing space for civil societies in the last eight years in the state.
Amb. Nkweke described civil society as the engine room of democracy as it engages in sensitisation on the policies and programmes of government, regretting, however, that their inputs were never taken into considerations.
“Civil societies give signals, civil society creates the awareness and sensitize the people towards achieving a reliable democracy.
‘’i want to let you know, very frankly, that civil society space in Rivers State, for the past eight years, was suffocated. There was no breathing space, they didn’t breathe. Civil society was dead completely”, he said.
Amb. Nkweke said the situation also affected upcoming activists as some of them had to operate from hideouts.
By: John Bibor
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu not to condone incompetent personalities in his government.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, NANS President, Comrade Pedro Obi, expressed concerns about the competence of the Minister of State for Youth Development and the SSA to the President on Student Engagement.
Comrade Obi, after staging a peaceful protest at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), reiterated that the NANS will not be intimidated and will continue to fight for the interests of Nigerian students.
He said, “The message is very simple, we have incompetent people who have been appointed to offices. It’s unfortunate and it’s not the President’s fault, of course he believes in Nigerian youths and has also given us the opportunity to showcase our capacity in various roles that he has given us.
“We have the SSA to the President on Student Engagement, who has shown incompetence. He cannot continue to hold that office and we are calling on Mr. President that he should be sacked with immediate effect.
“Also we have the Minister of State for Youth Development. We are also calling that immediately he should be sacked, because he has left what he ought to do and has dabbled into the affairs of NANS.
“These people have displayed incompetence and are destroying the youth community. There are so many competent youths that President Tinubu can pick from.
“NANS can never be intimidated. This is an organisation that we grew up to meet and we will continue to protect the dignity of this organisation.”
Receiving the NANS on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office in the SGF, Dr. Maurice Nnamdi Mbaeri, assured the NANS of relaying back their complaints to the SGF which he said will land on the listening ears of President Tinubu.
According to him, “I have listened to the complaints you raised. I assure you that your complaints will get to the listening ears of Mr. President.
“Let me assure you that I’m happy this was also re-echoed in the NANS President’s speech that President Tinubu has indebt love for the youths of Nigeria and also for the students of Nigeria. This has been demonstrated by polices that (has) been put in place for the youths.
“I want to assure you that the President has your concerns in his heart and he’s always ever ready to attend to your needs.
“With this, I am going to report back to my boss the SGF, who will take up the matter with the President. I urge you to continue to maintain peace and tranquillity. Don’t do anything that will make Mr. President feel bad about you.”
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu, has withdrawn the court action he instituted against the party over his controversial removal from office barely two years into his four year term.
His action has removed legal impediments likely to militate against the emergence of his replacement from the North Central.
Several meetings have been held and being planned following this new development.
On Tuesday, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) passed a vote of confidence on the Ag. National Chairnan, Amb. Umar Damagum, whom members said has discharged his functions creditably.
It was gathered that the North Central Caucus of the party had long before now started mobilizing to ensure that the zone produces Ayu’s replacement to complete his tenure which expires in 2025.
In a related development, Amb. Damagum has held series of meetings with various groups to perhaps shore up his chances of retaining his seat as acting chairman.
He led the members of the NWC on Wednesday to interact with the PDP National Ex-officio ahead of the NEC meeting.
Immediately after the meeting with them, he led the NWC members to another meeting with the State Party Chairmen from the 36 States, including FCT, Abuja.
The meetings were held at the NEC Hall, PDP National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, in Abuja.
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