Politics
RVHA: One Year Legislative Session In Perspective
Rivers State Seventh Assembly was proclaimed on May 30, 2011 , by the state governor Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in line with the constitutional provisions specified in the 1999 constitution.
The house made up of 32 members elected to represent various constituencies of the state, elected Rt Hon Otelemaba Dan Amachree, representing Asari-Toru constituency I, as speaker while Hon Leyii Kwanee, representing Khana constituency II, emerged as the Deputy Speaker.
Other principal officers of the house were elected on Thursday June 2, 2011, as follows Hon Chidi Lloyd (Emohua) leader, Hon Nname Ewor (Ahoada East I) deputy leader, Hon Ikuinyi Ibani (Andoni) Whip and Hon. Irene Inimgba (Port Harcourt II) deputy Whip of the house. All these elections were done in a carry-go-fashion but the importance of the exercise were not lost.
However, the appointments sorry, election of the officers were preceded with a lot of horse – trading, lobbying and particularly the invocation of the zoning principal of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). That done, the lawmakers quickly settled down for the due discharge of their legislative functions which is to make justifiable laws that would bring about good governance of the state.
The 7th Assembly began its business with three members who were old wine in new wine bottles, namely Hon Leyii Kwanee, Hon Augustine Paul Ngo and Hon Godstine Ben Horsfall. These persons were state lawmakers when the state governor Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi presided over the assembly as speaker.
Interestly, eleven of the remaining members were returnees from either the fourth, fifth or sixth Assembly. They are Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree, Rt Hon Tonye Harry, Hons Chidi Lloyd, Aye Pepple, Ikuinyi Ibani, Felicia Barizasi Tane, Golden Chioma, Luvky Odili, Onari Brown, Victor Ihunwo and Irene Inimgba.
The 18 first timers in no particular order include Hon Nname Ewor, Andrew Miller, Azubuike Wanjoku, Dr Innocents Barickor, Ibelema Okpokiri, Dr Sam Eligwe, Martin Amaewhule, Evans Bipi, Josiah John Olu, Kelechi Nworgu, Fredrick Anabaraba, Legborsi Nwidadah, Ibiso Nwuche, Gift Wokocha, Michael Okey-Chinda, Victoria Nyeche, Victor Amadi and Okechukwu Nwaogu.
Addressing assembly correspondents recently after adjourning the House sine die at the end of the first legislative session of the 7th Assembly, the Chairman House Committee on Information and training, Hon Onari Brown, disclosed that the Assembly received and debated on a total of 19 bills.
Out of the number, 17 of them have been passed and assented by the governor and are now laws of the state; While the remaining two ie The Right of Women to Share in Family Property and Rivers State Agency for School Inspection and Monitoring are at the second reading and committee stage of legislative action.
According to Hon. Onari Brown, in keeping with session 4 (7) of the 1999 constitution, the House received both executive and private member bills which went through the normal three readings with the draft law being subjected to critical debates on the floor of the house.
At the committee stages robust public hearing were conducted that elicited inputs from stakeholders and the public which enriched the quality of the bills that were eventually passed. Consequently, within the period under review, the following bills were passed and authenticated as laws of the state with the signature of the governor.
These are Rivers state Carnival Development Bill, 2011, Rivers State Senior Secondary School Board Bill, 2011, Rivers State Local Government Bill, 2011, Rivers State Debt Management Office (Establishment) Bill, 2011, Rivers State Bonds, Notes and Securities Insurance Bill, 2011, Rivers State Contributory Pension Scheme for Employees in the Public Service (Amendment) Bill 2011.
Also passed into law are Rivers State Tourism Development Agency Bill, 2011, Rivers State Tenancy Bill, 2011, Handicapped Persons’ Welfare (Enhancement) Bill 2011, Rivers State Appropriation Bill, 2012, Rivers State Public Office Holders (Payment of Pension) Bill 2012, Rivers State Universal Basic Education Law (Amendment) Bill 2012.
Others include Rivers State Public Utility Protection Bill, 2012, University of Science and Technology law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, Rivers State Road Traffic Management law (Amendment) Bill, 2012, and the State Water sector bill 2012.
Similarly, The Tide learnt that pursuant to 24 motions brought to the House by members about 14 resolutions were reached that have direct bearing on the lives of Ricers people.
It is imperative to mention that as politicians representing different interests, members of the 7th assembly have contributed to various debates at the floor of the Assembly independently for the benefit of the state in spite of the House being 100 percent PDP.
Arising from several uncomplimentary comments about the House, Hon Brown has debunked insinuations in some quarters that they are mere rubber stamp of the executive arm, pointing out that the synergy between the legislature and the executive stems from the fore knowledge of House processes by the state governor who had directed its affairs for eight years (1999 – 2007).
It is therefore not surprising that the peaceful working relationship among the arms of government has placed the state in a better pedestrian for growth and development. The achievements recorded so far by the present administration would not have been realizably if the lawmakers were at daggers drawn with the executive. Thanks goes to the leadership of both arms for the understanding exhibited in running government.
Credit must equally be given to the new members in the House who came with varying degrees of experiences deployed to legislation and have learnt so fast that hardly would anyone differentiate them in the conduct of House proceedings.
Within the period under discussion the leadership have been open and transparent hence the Assembly enjoyed the usual peace that have become synonymous with the state lawmakers. The purchase of official vehicles for members that tended to create disaffection was quickly resolved before outsiders heard about it and they had continued to work together with ought most good faith.
Another critical area in which the 7th Assembly can beat its chest for posterity to judge is in the performance of over sight duties. Relying on section 128 and 129 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, the lawmakers with recourse to existing legislation has either invited some members of the executive arm, companies and institutions operating in the state to answer questions were necessary.
The intervention of the Assembly in the recent Egi gas eruption in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area, the crisis in the State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), and the discriminatory practices of companies operating in the state among others are cases in point.
However the support of the parliamentary staff to the lawmakers cannot be under estimated as they work behind the scene in different capacities to enhance the work of the House. These has earned them cordial relationship with the management as quarterly meetings are held to articulate and resolve issues.
From the above, it is crystal clear that the first session of the Rivers State 7th Assembly has recorded modest achievement as a united House without the vagaries of political interference, rancor, bitterness and unnecessary sentimentality to derail the focus of engendering a purposeful governmet.
Claiming that elections in the country are typically characterized by vote buying, Mr Nwosu said a repeat of such phenomenon would taint the credibility of the forthcoming gubernatorial poll.
Mr Nwosu is among the 16 governorship candidates listed by INEC in a June 4, 2025 statement to participate in the November 8, 2025 election in Anambra State.
His party, the ADC, will battle it out with other parties to unseat incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Mr Nwosu, in a statement on Saturday, said it was baffling seeing voters openly selling their votes to party agents and other representatives around polling units on election day.
According to him, “such practices not only derail the true will of the people but also reduce elections to an auction, where the state is effectively handed over to the highest bidder.”
Mr Nwosu urged INEC to introduce secure voting cubicles that would safeguard the legitimate rights of voters and uphold the sovereignty of democracy.
“INEC must provide secure voting cubicles to ensure ballots remain private and secret. Currently, many polling areas are too exposed, allowing others to see the voting process. This not only encourages vote buying but also undermines the integrity of the elections.
“Voting must remain secret. Nigeria already has strong electoral laws which, if properly enforced, can deliver outcomes that truly benefit society”, Mr Nwosu said.
He held that the Anambra governorship election was another opportunity for INEC to secure the trust of Nigerians about its commitment to transparency and fairness during polls.
He also noted the role of security agencies in tackling the menace of vote buying on the day of election.
He said, “The success of any political activity depends largely on security, because security is key. While it is not solely INEC’s duty to ensure elections are properly conducted, the Commission must create an enabling environment that allows citizens to participate freely, conduct themselves properly, and exercise their right to vote.”
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, called on the relevant security agencies to investigate the attackers and their sponsors.
“The Labour Party is perplexed by the physical attack on our National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, by agents suspected to be working for anti-democratic elements who have tried unsuccessfully to wrestle the leadership of the party from him.
“Few hours ago, a prominent member of a known political family, Ms Precious Oruche, alias ‘Mama P’, accosted Barrister Abure while on a queue at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Abuja, boarding a Max Air flight en route to Benin, and attacked the Labour Party’s National Chairman unprovoked.
“The attacker, Madam P, who is also a known content creator, continued the attack all through the duration of the flight, defying all attempts by the Max Air flight attendants to calm her.
“The assault, which attracted a large population of onlookers, continued unabated on disembarkment at the Benin Airport while she continued recording the scene.
“It took the intervention of the security agents on hand to whisk Abure to safety while the attacker was handed over to the police for questioning.
“In one of her films released, the lady, who is a prominent member of the ‘Obidient’ and claimed that she has contacts with the highest police hierarchy, boasted that nothing will happen to her.
“She vowed that she will not stop attacking Abure or any member of the Labour Party executive because, according to her, ‘you have killed Labour Party and you are the reason why Obi is no longer in the Labour Party.’
“The leadership of the Labour Party is completely troubled with this cyber-bullying and the consequences of the action of this political agent on the party. We are by this statement calling on the Inspector General of Police to thoroughly investigate this suicidal aggression against the leadership of the Labour Party and Barrister Julius Abure in particular.
“We sincerely believe that the lady-agent was on an assignment to accomplish the desires of her paymasters. Assault and cyber-bullying are severe crimes under our laws and we think that the Police must fish out her sponsors and cohorts, and bring them to book.
“We are calling on the members of the Labour Party to be calm, even in the face of this unwarranted provocation and wait for the outcome of the investigation on the unprovoked attack against the leadership of the party,” the statement read.
Speaking during the party’s congress in Yola, the state capital, on Saturday, Mr David Lorhenba, the chairman, Adamawa Congress Committee, described the exercise as hitch-free.
He said that a total of 2,656 delegates from 21 local government areas came out and elected 39 officials.
Mr Lorhenba commended the delegates for conducting themselves in an orderly manner.
“The conduct of the congress is very successful, all the delegates come from 21 Local Government Areas and cast their votes peacefully.
“We have a total of 2,656 delegates and we have announced the winners very successfully”, he said.
In his remarks, Alhaji Attahiru Shehu, the outgoing chairman, congratulated the new executives and charged them to continue on what they have already done for the party to remain strong.
According to him, they started as opposition in the state and produced Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri who is serving his second term, opining they “he has done well for the state.”
In his acceptance speech, Mr Madagali thanked the delegates for the confidence they reposed in him.
He promised to run an open door policy in manning the affairs of the party.
“Let us continue the legacy of good governance and prepare ahead for 2027 with focus, discipline and unity.
“To those outside our party, especially the youths and women of Adamawa, we invite you into our party.
“PDP is your home. Our doors are open to all who wish to contribute positively to the development of our state.
“Our party will continue to be a shining example of people-focused on leadership,” he said.