RAYMOND OZOJI reports
The 8th legislature of Anambra State will on 12th June this year mark her second year anniversary. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) dominated House of Assembly which was inaugurated on June 12th, 2023 has undergone various metamorphosis since inception.
Insider information from the state assembly has it that the Speaker of the 8th legislature Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkemakonam Udeze has ensured robust legislative interactions as well as a level playing field amongst members devoid of rancour and acrimony.
Sources say that the Speaker has handled the legislature with maturity, dexterity and cognate experience being a three time member of the state assembly. That he has ensured that all shades of opinions are accommodated including minority opinions during House of Assembly proceedings.
Further investigations into the 8th assembly revealed that the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Pius Okoye, the Majority Leader Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the Minority Leader Hon. Johnbosco Akaegbobi, the lawmakers representing Aguata 1 and 2, Ihiala 1 and 2, Orumba-North and South, Anaocha 2, Njikoka 2, Onitsha-South 1 and 2, Ayamelum, Anambra-East, Idemili-South, Dunukofia, Ogbaru 1, Nnewi-North and some others are those who sources from the state assembly believe have kept faith to their constitutional assignments by regularly attending plenary and making useful contributions during legislative sessions in the last two years.
But a closer observation to plenary sessions and debates in the last two years revealed that most members of the 8th legislature allegedly abandoned their legislative functions and responsibilities to their various constituencies only to embark on endless oversea trips to China, Japan, United States and other foreign countries for their personal businesses.
Sources from the 8th assembly who pleaded anonymity maintained that the idea of some of their colleagues abandoning the very reason for which they were elected to represent their constituencies in the legislature was a dent on their integrity and reputation because nobody speaks for them and their elected representatives have abdicated their responsibilities in the House of Assembly in pursuit of their private businesses within and outside the country.
Further findings from the House of Assembly revealed that the lawmakers representing Awka-North, Awka-South 1, Oyi, Idemili-North, Njikoka 1 and a few others are some of the House members who have seldom attended legislative sessions in the last two years due to incessant prolonged absenteeism from their constitutional assignments.
Sources claim that the lawmakers enmeshed in orchestrated travels from official legislative duties feel disappointed because it was not what they envisaged that they met as most of them nursed the premonition that the House of Assembly was a place to amass more wealth as grapevine information has it that some of the lawmakers spent closed to N200 Million to fund their elections with hope that they would recover their money in the state assembly but the reverse has become the case.
They even pointed accusing fingers at Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo alleging that he has blocked every loopholes and leakages that could have been used to siphon state resources unlike what obtained in previous administrations but Soludo's meticulous nature with public finances has become a very hard nut to crack.
As a result of this stark reality, keen observers of House of Assembly proceedings opined that plenary sessions are oftentimes very scanty with the recycling of members who chose to remain committed to their electoral promises and constitutional engagements as they believe that they were elected to serve and represent their constituencies in the state assembly rather than abandoning their legislative functions for a wild goose chase.
As the 8th legislature of Anambra State celebrates two years of making laws geared towards improving the living conditions of the people, the citizens are therefore optimistic that the remaining two years of the 8th assembly would be deployed to more robust legislative interactions, more result-oriented constituency engagements and more dispassionate oversight duties.
Lawmakers are equally advised to show more commitments to the constitutional obligations for which they were elected into offices by increasing attendance and presence during House of Assembly proceedings and eschew prolonged absence and travels as such character traits connote lack of commitment and unseriousness which are obvious minuses on ones electoral value.
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