Politics
Amaechi Town Hall Meeting: The Opobo/Nkoro Response
When the legendary Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as “Government of the people, by the people; for the people; uninformed skeptics of his contemporaries mocked has aphorism as balderdash without conventional syntax. Little did they know that the reality of this definition that emphasised on “the people” will survive generations unborn. The fact is that the splendour of democracy is the determination of supreme will of the majority people as embellished by its mass participatory attribute that distinguishes it from all other systems of government.
As the most universally acceptable system of government, it’s stance presupposes good governance based on the doctrines of the rule of law which in prutanity projects equity, transparency, sovereignty and freedom of expression of the citizens as distinct from military dictatorship, where might is right, as survival is only for the fittest through the obnoxious jingle rule of “do or die”. An act which left the vast civil population oppressed and their voices suppressed with the most vitriolic inhumanity hence the clamour for democracy to bring about peace to enhance rapid infrastructural and human capacity development.
Thus the introduction of meet the people tour simply referred to as the “Town Hall Meeting” by the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi-led administration in Rivers State is indeed a welcome development.
The Town Hall Meeting is significant in many respects in that it brings governance nearer to the people by creating an enabling environment whereby the people, especially those in the rural areas could meet with the Governor face-to-face and express their feelings about government.
With this development the people are given the seldom opportunity to massively and freely partake in the governance of the State. This free-for-all interactive session among other things gives the governor first hand information about the people and places to enable him know their immediate and pressing needs and how best they could be addressed.
On the other hand it demystifies the assumed invisibility of politicians once elected into office. It is incontrovertible that many politicians have made themselves unreachable to their people whose mandate they hold as a trust. The wrong signals emitted from such politicians without good intension and vision made some people to often call politics “A Dirty Game” and remain cynical about it.
However, Governor Rotimi Amaechi in his exemplary leadership has disproved the wrong impression by making himself reachable to the people through the town hall meeting. He made it possible to discuss, share ideas and opinion with the rural people in a common forum like members of one family. The town hall meeting in a nutshell is an enlarged political family meeting in which the governor makes every community he visits his home and the people, his own people. .
Since the inception of the Town Hall Meeting, non performing Chairmen and contractors handling community development projects have started working to justify the huge monthly allocation and mobilisation fees they received. The visit· in many places have exposed chairman and contractors that are performing below expectation through response of the people as it was used to assess the performance of the various councils in developing their communities.
It is another way the Governor uses to make Chairmen and Councilors give account of their stewardship in their presence for confirmation and otherwise of their people, while in turn he unfolds State projects in the local government areas and same time unveils his administration plans for the benefit of the people.
More importantly, because of the visits, work has resumed in many abandoned projects as contractors that had gone into hiding after receiving mobilisation fee have resurfaced and commenced work; this has risen hope that the once denied dividends of democracy have started reaching the people. In some places the visit has helped to reunite opposing groups within the traditional and political institutions. The groups bury their grievances against one another and unit to give the governor the ovation he deserves and in one voice make request for assistance from the governor who is liberal to assist.
Many local government areas have in so doing attracted extra development projects directly from the Sate Government while some local government councils have been relieved of huge overhead and security costs among other things. The recent town hall meeting with governor Amaechi at Opobo Town, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area (ONOLGA) was unique as it brought to the fore democracy in action through exhibition of visible dividends of democracy in form of social amenities and long term infrastructural development that would benefit even generations unborn.
The people’s response in testifying to have never had it better than now gives credence that the Maclean Uranta’s administration of the local government council has lived above board in rendering meaningful service to people. His administration has in spite of the not so huge allocation it receives against difficult and expensive geographical terrain has embarked on many projects which include the building of Opubo Hotel to boost tourism and revenue to the council, construction of concrete bridges to link the kala-ama communities of Opobo kingdom, installation of solar powered water projects at Opobo town_ and Nkoro, installation of solar powered water projects at Queen’s town .Others are construction of new office complex, building of staff quarters and internal roads, modern toilets at Opobo and Nkoro, renovation of the council secretariat, and legislative building, purchase of buses and boats to ease land and water transport, renovating native court at Opobo town as well as offices and staff quarters at Nkoro.
He also provides regular electricity supply and adequate security services for protection of lives and properties. The Council is also assisting the various health centers to function effectively as well as helping members of National Youth Service Corps posted to the area.
On the State Government part, the Governor announced the award of contract for the construction of eight primary schools at Ekere-borokiri, kalaibiama, Nkoro town, Queen’s town, kalama, Iwoama Nkoro and two others at Opobo town. On health, he disclosed that work is in progress at health centers at Opobo, Queen’s town and Nkoro) while he had delivered (2000KVA) generator sets at Opobo town in addition to the existing ones.
He promised that the Unity Road projects will soon reach kalaibiama town in Opobo kingdom. He used the occasion to announce to the delight of the people about the competition of landing jetty at Epelema, land reclamation at Opobo town and shore protection projects at Queens town. His visit to Opobo/Nkoro gave him first hand information of how the council spends millions of Naira monthly on security services which he promised to relieve the council of such burden. With this development, money that would have been spent on security by the council could be channeled to other aspects of development.
Condemning violence and militancy he stressed on the need for giving children the opportunity to have good education as to produce the much needed manpower to project the state high in overall developn1ent. One of the major achievements of the Town Hall Meeting was the Governor’s promise that the state government will partner to make the Opobo International Boat Carnival (OIB) a great success. And that it will form part of the state cultural and tourism agenda. So from all indications the Amaechi administration is a blessing in verification.
One good turn, they say, deserves another, and to whom much is given, much is expected. Maclean Uranta has at the council level given much to the people of Opobo/Nkoro; Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has also given much to Opobo/Nkoro people and Rivers State in general. This bears eloquent testimony that the ruling People Democratic Party (PDP) manifestoes is a true statement of assurance for peace and progress of the people and development of the entire State. The peoples-oriented leadership Rivers people have been yeaning for has come through the party; let the people not be deceived to derail but to continue following the path of peace to enhance rapid ‘infrastructural and human capacity development in the entire State through continuity with PDP and support to the hardworking Governor. .
Let them reciprocate the good gesture by supporting PDP government at all level with true spirit of patriotism and honesty now and beyond this tenure. But then, non performing Chairmen, and representatives of the people at various level of parliament should improve their relationships with their people by making themselves available and answerable to their people. They should justify the purpose of the peoples mandate they are holding with execution of constituency projects and empowerment of their people.
Let it be known to them that those they met on their way going up, will be the same people they will meet on their way coming down. The Amaechi humility in service which necessitated the ongoing Town Hall Meeting is the right step in the right direction, which should continue and emulated by other leaders who mean well for their people.
Austin Brown
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed, through a second reading, a bill seeking to retain immunity for the Office of the President and remove immunity from the Vice President, the Governors and the Deputy Governors.
The bill was one of the 42 considered and passed through the second reading stage during plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Benjamin Kalu, in Abuja.
Sponsored by Hon. Solomon Bob (Rivers PDP), the bill is seeking the amendment of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution to guard against abuse of office and to ensure transparency in governance.
The long title of the proposed legislation read: “A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to qualify the immunity conferred on the President, remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their deputies, in order to curb corruption, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office and for related matters.”
Key amendments include changes to Section 308 of the Constitution, which currently grants immunity to the president, vice president, governors, and deputy governors while in office.
The proposed bill will amend subsection 3 to ensure that immunity only applies to the President and the vice president when acting as President under Section 145 of the Constitution.
Additionally, a new subsection 4 will be introduced to make the immunity clause inapplicable if the office holder is acting in an unofficial capacity, engaging in actions beyond the powers of the office, or involved in criminal conduct.
“The bill seeks to foster transparency and strengthen the fight against corruption by making public officials more accountable for their actions, both in and out of office.”
“Section 308 of the principal Act is amended by:(a) substituting a new subsection (3) as follows: “(3) This section applies to a person holding the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Vice President only when acting as President, in line with Section 145 of this Constitution.
Creating sub section (4) thereto as follows:”(4) The foregoing provisions of this section shall be inapplicable where the person to whom this section applies is acting in an unofficial capacity or where the conduct of the person is beyond the powers of his office or the conduct is criminal in nature.
“This Bill may be cited as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Act 2024.
The bill is currently awaiting further debate and consideration by the National Assembly.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has written to notify Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, about the petition by constituents seeking her recall from the national assembly.
INEC said it has also received the contact details of the petitioners.
“Pursuant to section 69 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I write to notify you of the receipt of a petition from representatives of registered voters in your constituency seeking your recall from the senate.
“The notification is in line with the provisions of clause 2 (a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.
“This letter is also copied to the presiding officer of the senate and simultaneously published on the commission’s website. Thank you”, the letter read.
The letter was signed by Ruth Oriaran Anthony, secretary to the commission.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Wednesday, INEC said it has now received the updated contact details from representatives of petitioners seeking to recall the senator.
In the statement, Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, said a letter notifying the senator of the petition has been delivered to her official address, copied to the senate presiding officer, and published on the commission’s website.
“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the constituency. This will be done in the coming days.
“The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission. We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent”, Mr Olumekun said.
Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan had recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.
The allegation came in the wake of seating arrangement related altercation between Senator. Akpabio and the Kogi Central senator at the red chamber
She was subsequently suspended from the senate for six months for “gross misconduct” over the incident.
The constituents behind the recall move also accused her of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceitful behaviour”.
The senator has denied wrongdoing and called the recall effort a “coordinated suppression” of her voice.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the second reading of a bill to upgrade the Lagos State 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to full-fledged Local Government Areas (LGAs ).
The bill, was sponsored by James Faleke, Babajimi Benson, Enitan Badru, and 19 other lawmakers.
The bill is titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to Accommodate the Thirty-Seven (37) Development Area Councils of Lagos State as Full-Fledged Local Government Areas, Increasing the Total Number of Local Government Areas in the Federation to Eight Hundred and Eleven (811), and for Related Matters (HB. 1498),”
Once fully enacted, Nigeria’s total number of LGAs will rise from 774 to 811, with Lagos overtaking Kano and Katsina, which currently have 44 and 34 LGAs, respectively.
Proponents of the bill argue that granting full LGA status to the LCDAs would bring governance closer to the people. The 37 LCDAs were created by President Bola Tinubu in 2003 when he was governor of Lagos State.
However, it’s worth noting that the Lagos State House of Assembly has been working on a bill to replace the 37 LCDAs with newly designated administrative areas.