The passage of only five bills in one year by the eighth Abia State House of Assembly has elicited mixed reactions from various quarters.
During a press conference in Umuahia, Speaker Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa announced that the House passed five out of 15 bills presented for consideration over the past year. These bills included the 2023 Appropriation Bill, the Greater Aba Development Authority Bill, the 2024 Appropriation Bill, the Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Review Bill, and the Medicine and Health Commodities Bill.
Emeruwa noted that the remaining bills had either passed their first or second readings and were expected to be finalized soon. He added that the House addressed 46 petitions, raised 55 motions, and passed 50 resolutions within the same period.
Former Speaker Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kanu, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, criticized the Assembly’s performance. He rated the current Assembly 10%, saying, “In terms of the bills that they have passed, I don’t think that much has been done. For only five bills to be passed in a legislative year leaves much to be desired. It’s most unsatisfactory for a House. I will rate them 10%.” Kanu also condemned the House for not swearing in Hon. Aaron Uzodike, the PDP member-elect for Aba North state constituency, despite a favorable Court of Appeal ruling.
On the other hand, former Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Emeka Stanley viewed the Assembly’s achievements more positively, attributing the modest output to the fact that many members were first-time legislators. He stated, “For a House that just started its first tenure you couldn’t expect more because most of the members are first-timers. They are not used to the act of lawmaking. There is a learning process. So, if they could make up to five laws and pass up to 30 motions and other resolutions, they have tried.” However, Stanley also criticized the delay in swearing in Uzodike.
The Coalition of South East Youths expressed strong disapproval, with President General Comrade Goodluck Ibem stating, “If the House can only pass five bills in one year, it means they are unproductive. We are passing a vote of no confidence in the House. The House leadership should be overhauled so that more proactive legislators will take over the leadership of the House.”
The All Progressive Grand Alliance echoed this sentiment, with State Publicity Secretary Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwokoro scoring the lawmakers 30% for underperformance. He remarked, “Five bills in one whole year is not a good result by the legislative arm of Government. It’s not encouraging. They should go and have a rethink. They didn’t do much. They should do more. Passing five bills in one year means 20 bills in four years on average.”
In contrast, the Methodist Bishop of Umuahia Ecclesiastical Diocese, Archbishop Raphael Opoko, commended the Assembly, arguing that the cooperation between the House and the Executive arm had fostered peace and development. He said, “The cooperation of the House in supporting positive and transformative change in Abia State is a major milestone that they have achieved. There is a great understanding between the House and the Governor.”
Former Chairman of the Council of Traditional Rulers, Umuahia North Local Government Area, HRH Eze Philip Ajomuiwe, urged the Assembly to be more proactive, noting, “Our expectation is that as our Governor is going higher, the House should draft bills to complement his efforts. Abians expect them to do more. Five bills in one year is nothing. The House should wake up.”
Professor Hatz Ofoeze of Abia State University Uturu emphasized the importance of the quality of the bills rather than their quantity. He stated, “The issue is not the number. What’s important is the quality of bills. The laws so made, to what extent have they affected the interest of the people? Saying they have not performed because of the number of bills is a wrong assessment. People should look into the quality of bills—whether executive bills or private member bills.”
The eighth Assembly, inaugurated by Governor Alex Otti on June 24, 2023, amid high hopes, is controlled by the ruling Labour Party. Initially, the PDP had a slight majority, but recent defections have shifted the balance of power in favor of the Labour Party. The Speaker assured that the bills passed were free of conflicts and expressed regret over delays in the delivery of official vehicles, blaming the supplier, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company.
Emeruwa issued a two-week ultimatum to Innoson Motors to deliver the vehicles, warning that “this House has been patient enough.”
“He has to produce the vehicles within the month or give us our money back.”
He also acknowledged that the House of Assembly had maintained a good working relationship with the executive arm in the overall interest of the state.
The Speaker commended Governor Otti for being supportive of the House
On the lingering inauguration of the member-elect for Aba North State Constituency, Hon. Uzodike (PDP), the Speaker hinted that a political solution would soon be used to resolve the issues delaying his swearing-in.
