Lagos — Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Goodluck Nnanah Opiah, speaks with Amby Uneze on why the house overrode the governor by passing the bill which prescribed capital punishment for kidnapping and hostage taking offences in the state. He also comments on the relationship between the legislature and executive

Recently, you signed into law a bill tagged Imo State Prohibition of Hostage taking and Related Offences. Why did you go ahead to veto the bill?

Recently, I signed into law a bill on Prohibition of Hostage Taking and Related Offences. Technically, that law deals with issues of kidnapping, which is a menace to the country today and of course there had been issues of kidnapping and hostage taking in Imo. We quickly moved to ensure that there is a law prohibiting that offence in the state and the Assembly recommended death penalty.

It was forwarded to the governor for his assent and we waited over the mandatory constitutional period and the governor did not assent to the bill and it was brought back to the House for review, especially on the area of death penalty. That aspect has been seen in certain quarters as not being fashionable anymore and the governor requested that the House reduced it to life sentence. But members agreed that there was nothing wrong in taken that maximum stand. If that can help deter the criminals from being involved in the crime and they were so firm and so sure that the only option was to override the governor and so that decision was taken.

It was a decision taken in the interest of Imo people. It was a decision taken based on the presentation, agitation and general good of Imo people because that bill was taken to public hearing and a cross section of Imo people attended the public hearing and everybody was united that maximum penalty be recommended on any offender in that regard and the representatives of the people, that is, the honourable members had no choice than to listen to the public outcry.

I can tell you that the governor does not see anything wrong in ascribing the worst punishment to any offender involved on the case of hostage taking. But being a top public servant and also an international figure, he a had to listen to views of such international bodies like Amnesty International and high personalities in this country, that there was need to tread softly. And we could marry the two opinions and considering the experiences of some of the honourable members who were victims of the kidnapping, I think they were quite bitter and that every thing should be done to put the matter to rest.

Having overridden the governor, does that portend any crisis between the executive and legislature?

Far from it. What many people did not know is that Imo State Government operates on a page. All the three arms of government work very harmoniously. I can assure you that the relationship between the Executive and Legislature in Imo State is the best in this country. And it started from the day we were inaugurated and we all drove down with the Governor for a Retreat in Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State and there we all agreed and bought into his vision, "The New Face of Imo Agenda". We were presented with the programmes and we all agreed to work with him harmoniously without rancour. Beign a governor of another party, we worked with him even as honourable members of another party and we don't play politics with the welfare and well being of Imo People.

We don't envisage any form of rift. We have always understood each other. I can assure you that this is not a rift that can cause disharmony between the executive and legislature. The governor and I are like brothers or partners, or people who were brought in at the same time in the interest of Imo people. Nothing can cause rift between the two arms of government as long as we live because we understand each other, respect each other and know what we are doing at any point in time. This is not a sign of rift. This is not a reason for rift and there cannot be any form of anarchy. No crack whatever, that can arise between the Imo State House of Assembly and the executive arm led by Governor Ohakim.

I know that detractors are happy to see a rift, a crack and we keep disappointing them. And we will continue to disappoint them as long as Governor Ikedi Ohakim remains the governor of Imo State. We in the House of Assembly are concerned with the development of the State. We are all impressed with the way the governor is going, looking for investors. In fact, one of our major concerns in this issue of kidnapping was at the inception of this administration; the Governor attracted a lot of investors in Oguta Lake, Royal Oak Refinery and Petrochemical Company in Egbema. I am in a position to tell you that part of the reason why these projects are yet to take off is because investors are scared of security situation in Nigeria. And they have not been forthcoming, so if there is any thing we can do to let them know that our place is safe enough for investment, in the interest of Imo people and the governor, definitely we in the House are in support of anything that would usher development in the State.

Would you agree that the legislature had not been effective in discharging her constitutional role without any interference from the executive?

Well, like I said, we have been having this relationship based on the respect we have for each other based on truth and confidence. And that is the principle on which we operate. Our enemies will think that because we are not fighting, that the executive Governor has pocketed the legislature. We hold our ground; we hold our own and we are truly independent. We partner together. We agree on issues and we go all out to convince ourselves that whatever we do at any point in time, the governor is aware of what we are doing at the House of Assembly and at any point in time, I can tell you what the governor is doing for the executive arm. And that is the secret of the success of this administration. That is also the secret and success of stability that we have in Imo State. It has nothing to do with one arm playing subservient role for the other arm or the House of Assembly being a lame duck or an appendage of the executive, contrary to what some people think.

We are on our own and the governor as a matter of fact, gives the House of Assembly the necessary respect and we truly operate without any form of infringement. When it becomes necessary for us to partner, we do so and when it becomes necessary for us to think together, we think together, when it becomes necessary for us to share views, we also do. I must tell you that we have had the best relationship you can have anywhere in the world between the legislature and the executive arm of government and we hope to keep it so.