Politics
RVHA In 2012: A Score Sheet
Rivers State House of Assembly in 2012, continued to maintain its apex position as one of the leading state legislative arms of government in the country.
From the inception of the Seventh Assembly, the House has recorded milestones in the performance of legislative duties that have impacted significantly on the lives of Rivers people.
The leadership of the Assembly under the tutelage of Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree was greeted with excitement, hope and expectation of a possible paradigm shift in focus and conceptualisation of deliverables to engender the enactment of people oriented laws.
As many expressed absolute confidence on the leadership of the House, some political pundits saw the change of baton as a mere window dressing as the incumbent Speaker and the immediate past speaker Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry belong to the same political caucus.
However, apart from sharing and taking decisions jointly as members of the same kitchen cabinet, beginning from 1999, when Governor Chibuike Amaechi was Speaker, individual differences, style and charisma would be the determining factor in the assessment of each occupant of the number three position in the state government.
The existence of a political cell within the Assembly came to the fore during the “red carpet event organised by the House to honour past Speakers and outstanding law-makers past and present that distinguished themselves in public service.
Appreciating the Ambassador of the Rivers State House of Assembly award to him, former Speaker Tonye Harry said “many people will not understand the relationship between me and the incumbent Speaker. We belong to the same political caucus in the House since 1999, where major decisions that subdued some troublesome members were taken and he Amachree had been our leader”.
The outcome of the red carpet ceremony was the institution of an annual special legislative session to be attended by past and serving lawmakers in the state.
Hon. Tonye Harry, thanked the House leadership for the innovations introduced into the administration of the Assembly particularly for institutionalising the Red Carpet event and the House Hall of Fame as remarkable stints of a good leadership.
A significant mark of success and development remains peaceful co-existence, thus, the Assembly within the period under review engaged stability and cordial working relationship with the other arms of government.
The period under review equally witnessed the passage of new laws, repealing of others and resolutions of the House that has sufficiently contributed in shaping the state government to succeed.
Apart from acknowledging the laws enacted by the state lawmakers, the opposition political parties had described the Assembly as a mere “rubber stamp” of the executive.
But the House committee Chairman on Information and Training Hon. Onari Brown, debunked the insinuations of being remoted from the “Brick House”.
According to Hon. Onari, the three arms of government are to work for the betterment of the society while the lawmakers as representatives of the people are to leverage on their mandate to make justifiable laws that would improve the standard of living.
Hon. Brown argued that unnecessary antagonism and confrontation from the legislature on the executive would not do anybody any good, rather as responsible citizens that seek the development of the state, a lot of issues are settled through dialogue.
Moreso, he said, the Governor as former lawmaker understands the rhythm of the House and complies without armtwisting.
In terms of input to debates, exposure to legislative business, leadership styles, comportment and experience the state Assembly leads the pack. Just recently, the state Assembly successfully hosted the Pan African Parliamentary Conference in Port Harcourt with the theme “promoting good governance in Africa”.
The conference attracted dignitaries from far and near within the African continent thereby selling the potentials of the state to the outside world.
One issue which had agitated the minds of concerned constituents in the state borders on the near absence of constituency projects by the lawmakers. According to Mr. Stanely Etena, said most of the lawmakers made promises to the people but “they are yet to fulfill them and since we cannot remove them now, we shall wait till when they come to renew their mandate.
While Mr. Etena may not be alone in his assessment of performance via the projects, some are leading in that diretion. The lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency Hon. Aye Pepple, recently fulfilled his electioneering campaign of building a befitting Finima Youth Centre commissioned by the Speaker of the House.
He did not stop there, Hon. Pepple organised a two-Day seminar for Bonny youths to equip them with necessary knowledge to face future challenges and the lawmaker crowned the year with inter ward football competition to identify hidden talents among the youths of the area.
The move no doubt had endeared him to his people, especially the youths.
Similarly, Hon. Onari Brown wrote his name in gold when he completed and commissioned corpers lodge in Obonoma Akuku-Toru LGA equipped with modern facilities and a Lawn Tennis Court.
Others include Hon. Chidi Lloyd that recently commissioned, market he built for the women of Ogbakiri in Emohua LGA, Hon. Okechukwu Ankara a computer centre, Victoria Nyeche amongst other touched their constituents.
However, many are yet to nominate projects for sponsorship in their areas.
Since the 2013, Appropriation bill was presented to the House December 24, 2012, as the Assembly resumes from Christmas and New Year holidays, the lawmakers are expected to swing into action to debate the budget estimates of Governor Amaechi with a view to ensuring early passage to guarantee completion of on-going projects embarked upon by the state government.
Certainly, Rivers people expect to see more robust debate by the lawmakers to justify their mandate of speaking the opinion of their people while oversight functions of the House will keep the executive on their toes to deliver on their promises.
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.