How Rivers Assembly Fared In 2017

The eighth Assembly kick-started in earnest in 2017 after the re-run elections of December 2016. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded massive victory as 26 out the 32-member Assembly returned.
As the year wore on, intrigues started with the choosing of a Minority Leader which further divided the ranks of the opposition in the House.
Member representing Eleme Constituency, Hon Josiah Olu had engaged in a long battle with member representing Akuku-Toru 2, Hon. Benibo Anabraba who finally won.
The issue of who selects a Minority leader took a legal dimension when a high court sitting in Port Harcourt upheld the position of Hon Benibo Anabraba as minority leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice C.D. Green of High Court 20 in his ruling that lasted over 30minutes ruled that the election of Hon. Anabraba who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2 was constitutional and in line with the standing orders of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Arguments arose whether it was an exclusive pressure of the opposition or a joint House decision. This controversy may have led both the opposition and majority party members to partake as Anabraba carried the day.
But before the election of a Minority Leader, the House Speakership had reverted to its usual zone. Former Speaker who took the mantle during the period of the massive tribunal rulings that removed most of the legislators, only about six members seat from the PDP were spared.
Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudima, 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.
However, 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 elections were 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 some oversight functions.
In order not to allow a leadership vacuum, the House evolved an expedient measure as the former Speaker, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani was affected. Adams Daboturodima from Okrika took over as Speaker.
He however relinquished the position early last year when Rt. Hon Ibani won his seat and returned to the House after the r-run elections.  The smooth handover of the House speakership set the tone for the various landmarks witnessed in the legislative chambers this past year.
Many bills were passed and debated upon during the year under review.
But key five bills were signed into law while order bills are still under various stages of deliberations and passage. Among those signed into law are the Rivers State Education (Return of Schools) Amendment Law number 1, Rivers State Honours law number 2 of 2017,Rivers State Reserve Fund Law Repeal number 3, Rivers State University law number 4 and Rivers State Teaching Hospital law number 5 of 2017, and the Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic bill 2017.
Also within the year, the House raised alarm over what it described as “deliberate marginalisation of the state”, following failure of the federal authorities to give relief materials to the state over flooding. Majority Leader of the House, Martins Amaewhule also picked holes in the neglect of federal roads in the state. He cited the example of the East West Road leading to Eleme and the Aba/Port Harcourt Express Road both of which are in a state of disrepair.
As part of its legislative functions to screen commissioner nominees and Special Advisers, the House in June approved fresh list of Commissioners and Special Advisers. But before the screening of the Commissioners, the legislative chambers had equally screened about five sets of Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the local government councils.
Some oversight functions conducted by the House in compliance to its mandate include the Committee on Environment visit over the soot, the House Committee on Works and the House Committee on Finance. However, it was that of the House Committee on Finance that featured prominently.
The committee had threatened to sanction any ministry, parastatal or board that fails to appear before it. The Committee on Finance conducted several accountability fora that covered Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State Microfiance Agency, Rivers State Hospital Management Board, Rivers State Pilgrims Board and Post Primary Schools Board.
As the year drew to a close, activities in the House equally took a dive with fewer sittings and proceedings.
Before then, member representing Ikwerre Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Azubuike Wanjoku, was suspended by the House over alleged denigrating comments made against the hallowed chamber.
The House said Wanjoku’s suspension took immediate effect until he explained the reasons for his actions against the assembly where he currently serves.
Leader of the House, Martins Amaewhule, who raised the complaint, said the decision of the House was based on comments made by Wanjoku and published on a national daily.
Amaewhule said Wanjoku, who is one of the few members representing the All Progressives Congress in the House, violated sections of the rules of the assembly.
In his ruling, Speaker of the House, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani said actions and comments of Azubuike Wanjoku were capable of putting the Rivers State House of Assembly in disrepute.
“Honourable Azubuike Chikere Wanjoku is hereby suspended as a member of the Rivers state House of Assembly. You cannot belong to this House and disparage our image.
“He is banned from participating in any activity of the Assembly until he appears before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
“We will not tolerate any act of indiscipline from any member of the Assembly.
Also, there was an august visit by the governor, Chief Nyesom Wike who commissioned in November and unveiled the State Assembly Service Commission Complex initiated and built  by his administration  to address accommodation challenges.
The governor also announced that the State Government will undertake the total rehabilitation of the State Assembly Complex.
Speaking during the commissioning programme, Governor Wike commended the management of the commission  for the proper implementation  of the project.
He said: “This is the executive intervening in the rehabilitation of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.  I will always do what is right  for the state.
“I will personally  supervise the rehabilitation.  The level of degeneration of this complex is not  acceptable”.
He said that despite the economic downturn, the state government was executing projects because of prudent management of scarce resources.
He said the immediate past administration in the state despite the funds available to it, failed to execute key projects and sold state assets to her cronies.
The governor assured  the workers of the Assembly that his administration would take care of their welfare issues.
Earlier, Chairman of the Rivers State Assembly Service Commission, Mr Chidi Amadi said for the first time after more than 10 years, a major project had been initiated and commissioned at the Assembly.
He said that the complex had resolved  the accommodation challenges of workers of the commission.
Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ikunyi-Owaji Ibani praised the governor for his development projects.
The special valedictory sitting in honour of its former member representing Opobo/Nkoro Constituency dampened the atmosphere in the Assembly. Fortunately, no current member died but rather some recorded positive milestones, such as Hon. Sam Ogeh of Emohua who was called to the Nigerian Bar, as a lawyer.