Francis Onyeukwu
28 February 2006
opinion
Lagos — Analysts say that the emergence, in June 2003 of Chief Christopher Omo-Isu as the Speaker of Ebonyi State Assembly was greeted with varied opinions.
They explain that opinions were divided on whether the new speaker, who represents Afikpo North/West Constituency, could fit into the shoes of his predecessor, Chief Julius Ucha.
Ucha was the pioneer speaker of the Assembly between 1999 and 2003. It was during his tenure that famous political crisis between Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, then Senate Presidents and Governor Sam Egwu, which nearly tore the young state apart, was recorded.
The role of the state Assembly in such a political fight was quite glaring.
According to experts, the legislature, as the hub of any democratic arrangement, could either help to ignite such fire or toe the path of peace.
It will be recalled that Ucha had, through his characteristic broad-minded leadership, helped to contain the then "Abuja group" and thus was able to keep the lawmakers as members of one family till the end of his tenure in 2003.
This invariably explains his elevation to the National Assembly as the senator currently representing Ebonyi central zone.
Analysts equally say that the feat of keeping the Ebonyi lawmakers intact was in addition to the numerous motions and bills that were passed into laws between 1999 and 2003 by the Ucha-led Assembly.
Such records of Ucha, many insist, were quite enormous for a new speaker to equal, considering the fact that Ebonyi State was then less than 10 years after its creation out of old Abia and Enugu states.
When Omo-Isu was named the Speaker in June 2003, a number of constraints appeared to have faced him.
Prominent among them was the fact that he was a newcomer in the PDP family in the state as he had just defected from ANPP a few months before the 2003 general polls.
Another apparent obstacle had to do with the fact that Omo-Isu is of the Afikpo bloc of the state, generally regarded as the minority zone of Ebonyi, population-wise.
For such obvious reasons, some political watchers in the area believed that it would be very hard for Omo-Isu to book a place in the mind of the state Governor who hails from the other side of the divide - the Abakaliki bloc.
Against this backdrop, many especially pessimists, believed that Omo-Isu's tenure would be a very short one.
This position appeared to have gathered momentum when, between February and August 2005, two floor functionaries of the House were flushed out of office for allegedly committing various criminal and corrupt offences.
It appeared the prediction would come to pass when the January 4, 2006 edition of one of the nation's highly reverred newspapers, published a news story, claiming that 11 out of the 24 lawmakers had signed for the impeachment of Omo-Isu.
Instead, the report helped to unite the lawmakers. The lawmakers contended that the publication was designed to ignite passions in the assembly reputed to be the most peaceful House of Assembly in the zone, if not in the entire country.
For Mr Kenneth Ochigbo, who fired the first shot, when the legislators reconvened after their Christmas and New Year recess, "Omo-Isu is a man of his word, a true democrat and a team leader who has been able to maintain peace and harmony in the Assembly"
Ochigbo, whose position came as a vote of confidence motion on the Speaker, equally stated that through the purposeful leadership quality of Omo-Isu, the assembly had passed 28 bills into law.
Twenty-six substantive motions and nine subsidiary motions have sailed through the floor of the House, he happily recalled.
He named these laws to include, the Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Projects Law, the Ebonyi State Rural Electrification Board Law, the Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board Law, the Prohibition of Secret Cult Activities and Carrying of Offensive Weapons Law.
Other laws are the State Poverty Reduction Agency Law, the Right and Responsibility of the Child Law, Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Law, and the Abakaliki Capital Development Authority Law.
Ochigbo, after chronicling the achievements of Omo-Isu, added: "I have to state categorically that the Speaker, Omo-Isu, remains our Speaker because he has performed well".
Seconding the motion, Elder Patrick Edediugwu, representing Onicha East constituency, stressed that the Speaker had been carrying all members of the assembly along and had remained a role model in leadership.
On his part, Ugorji Ama Oti said members were shocked to read the publication that there was problem in the House, stressing, "there was no problem in this assembly, and we do not anticipate any. Because of the way we feel, each member of this assembly hasconfidence in our Speaker".
For Emmanuel Nwobo, representing Ezza North West, the newspaper publication was frivolous and must be condemned by every peace-loving Ebonyi man.
Also for Mr Paul Ogbonnia, a jounalist-turned-legislator, the record of Omo-Isu in Executive/Legislative cordiality has remained exemplary, while his infrastructural development at the Assembly complex has been significant.
These include building of an administrative and library complexes, staff canteen, police post, healthcare centre, installation of V-sat Internet technology, which, he said, now linked the assembly to the rest of the world.
It will also be recalled that speaker after speaker condemned the publication, and supported the Speaker.
Analysts say that lawmakers should always try to understand that showing confidence in their leadership as a major step toward making the public believe that they have worthy and mature representaives.
Through such confidence, they say, the nation will certainly march to greater heights in its quest for an enduring democratic system.
Onyeukwu is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
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