Amaechi Attends APC Convention

One piece of good news that dominated most part of
last week in Government House was that the State House of Assembly and the governor rose to the stalemate that had almost grounded the Judiciary in the past six months.
The House had penultimate week mulled a bill as a way of engendering the adjudication and administration of justice in the state.
On Wednesday, after the massive protest by Rivers People led by two federal lawmakers, Senator Magnus Abe and Dr Dakuku Peterside at the State High Court, against the unilateral action of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint an Administrative Judge, the House held a public hearing on the new bill.
Part of the new bill reads, “where the office of the Chief Judge is vacant and it is impracticable to appoint an acting Chief Judge or a Chief Judge, the Chief Registrar shall assign cases to any Judge and perform other administrative duties until an Acting Chief Judge or a Chief Judge is appointed.”
Chairman of the House committee on Judiciary representing Etche Constituency 11, Golden Chioma presided over the public hearing and gave reasons why the bill was crucial, saying the law was last amended in 2001.
Hon. Chioma said the public hearing was aimed at adding flesh and gauging public opinion, saying “it’s not the National Assembly that made the law, the law was made by the House and we want to amend it.”
About six memorneda were submitted for the public hearing, including that of the state chairman the People Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah. Defending the bill, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wogu Boms observed that a long hiatus in the leadership of the judiciary cannot be allowed to continue considering the huge untried cases in the state.
“I welcome this development to enable our people to access justice “Boms reiterated. The bill was later passed by 17 lawmakers and assented on Thursday morning by-Governor Chibuike Amaechi.
Before the judiciary matter took the centre stage on Wednesday, the state Governor, Rt. Hon. Amaechi had on Tuesday, inaugurated a 23-man state scholarship board. The board is chaired by Hon. Benjamin Orgbani.
While inaugurating the board, Governor Amaechi who spoke through Secretary to the state Government, George Feyii, revealed that the administration spent about N8 billion yearly to fund foreign scholarships, assuring that the benefits would soon be reaped in the form of qualified and expert manpower.
The governor enjoined them to show commitment in their new-assignmet, while reminding them that they were chosen as representatives of their various local government areas to touch the lives of the people.
Later part of last weekend in Government House was dominated by preparations ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Congress in Abuja. The state delegation was led by Governor Amaechi.
By Saturday morning, results of last Friday’s National  Congress had filtered in with the announcement of former Edo State Governor, Chief John Odigie Oyegun as elected National Chairman, Chief Oyegun replaces Chie Bisi Akande who had been on acting capacity since the party emerged.
Even though the state preferred candidate, Dr, Sam Sam Jaja did not emerge, Rivers State registered its presence in the APC-National Executive with the emergence of caretaker chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, Oji Ngofa as the party’s new Deputy Secretary.
Also at the weekend, Governor Amaechi sent a message of condolence to the Senate over the death of its member, Senator Daliru Kuta who represented Niger East Senatorial District.