Nwuke Condemns Order On New Lawmakers

The member-elect, House

of Representatives, Prince Ogbonna Nwuke, has described the order of the House restricting one-term members from seeking principal offices as dubious and unhealthy for competition among legislators.

Speaking in an interview with The Tide at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Prince Nwuke said that the rule was a self-protectionist regulation and stressed the need for a blend of the new and old in forming the executive of the House.

“Simply put, the ranking order means that older persons in the House may be vested with greater responsibilities, so to a large extent its self-protectionist regulation, thus there is need for a mix between the new and the old because the experience of the old and the vibrancy of the new will give room for a perfect blending that will make for an effective legislation”, he noted.

According to him, electing new members of the House as Principal Officers does not in any way usurp the responsibilities of the old members, stressing that the ranking rules to some extent were self-protectionist and dubious.

He further argued that it would be wrong to disregard the new members irrespective of their background since experience is acquired on practice.

“You can see a situation where there are about 100 members that are old and about 200 that are new and if by the rules that politics is based on majority, is it possible that the views of 100 members will surpass those of 200,” he asked.

Prince Nwuke who was elected to represent Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives spoke with The Tide after attending the orientation workshop for newly elected lawmakers from Rivers state in Kano.

He explained that the workshop would afford them the opportunity of knowing how the business of the House was transacted as well as give both old and new members a greater insight into the tradition of the National Assembly and the House of Representatives.

“We live in a dynamic society and there is every need for lawmakers to respond to this dynamism. The orientation exercise will enable lawmakers come face to face with each other, either  formal or informal  before they get to the House.

Shedie Okpara