Much Ado about Nothing; What If Erondu Uchenna Erondu Jnr? | #NwokeukwuMascot

By Mrs Francess Olisa-Ogbonnaya (TABITHA)

Elder Erondu Uchenna Erondu

Having taken a break from the popular Human Chess game of interests called Politics, it has since afforded me the opportunity to watch events from the  sidelines without any form of bias and attachment.

Those who know me can attest that I have mastered the act and art of Speaking the truth to anyone and about anything regardless of whose ox is being gored.

This I know has also won me as much friends as enemies.

So I wish to reiterate that I CONDEMN in totality the actions and news coming out of Abia State in the last 72 hours and I insist that things could have been done differently as I also wish to sue for peace.

However I didn't halt my break from Politics because of that as I know that Politicians will always sort themselves out.

I actually decided to briefly halt my break from Politics to interrogate what  I perceive to be some sort of  miseducation, misinformation of the general public and misinterpretation of what could be a man's INALIENABLE right!!!

I was indeed left confused with the media brigandage, calculated Smear campaign, intentional negative mind works from a section of media users against One Man.

I would readily in my usual investigative nature pick up my cell phone, and I asked the person on the other side of the phone  " What's that Man's offence"?

The responder gleefully said " Imagine this man wants to be the Speaker of Abia State of the 8th Assembly".

I retorted, "Ehen What if he wants to"?

And as you can guess that became the end of that phone call !

So I wish to ask WHAT IF HON ERONDU UCHENNA ERONDU JUNIOR ASPIRES TO BE THE NEXT SPEAKER?

What makes his Ambition inordinate?

What makes his Ambition macbethic?

Is he not duly elected by his beloved people of Obingwa West?

Is that not the first critical condition for being the Speaker of the State House of Assembly?

Has he not met this very important condition?

Section 92 of the 1999 constitution as amended glaringly outlined conditions of being a Speaker of a State House of Assembly and these conditions have been gladly met by  Erondu Junior Erondu.

Is he not from the Abia South Zone where the Next Speaker is expected to emerge from?

Will he be the 1st  First Time House of assembly member to aspire to lead the legislative arm of the Government, the answer is obvious;

In 2011, Chief Benjamin Uwajumogu , a first time Member of the IMO state House of Assembly aspired and emerged the speaker of the House and till today he holds the record of the Best Speaker  Imo state has ever produced  considering the numbers of life bettering bills he passed and other critical interventions on behalf of the people of Imo State.

Just In 2019, Niger State House of Assembly elected a first timer, Abdullahi Wuse representing the Tafa Constituency as a Speaker .

Hon Abdullahi is also adjudged to have performed creditably well.

We also have our own Rt Hon Chikwendu Kalu of Abia State who would also become a Speaker despite being a First Time Member of the Abia State House of Assembly.

Examples abound and I hope the above instances would  expel and dispel the disgruntled and misguided beliefs that One will be an ineffective or "bad" speaker simply because he or she is a first time member of the House.

If Experience in a Particular field of Governance is a prerequisite for good performance, where are Executive governors expected to do their Governorship internship programs?

Leadership in Political sphere doesn't come with a Manual as it's a combination of personal knowledge acquired, personal traits and largely on-the-Job procedural knowledge.

We have seen Third Term members of the House who emerged Speakers and performed disgustingly, abysmally and shamefully poor!!!

May we all not forget that the election of the Speaker of the House as well as other Principal members of the House are exclusive to only the elected members of the 8th House of Assembly and they should be allowed to elect who they can trust.

The Election process of a Speaker of the state  despite being  a collegiate system still remains a Popularity contest, so I personally would advise all interests within or outside to remember that no one can foil a candidate even if he is a Methuselaic member of the House on elected members as the member elects who are largely new entrants will determine the leader of their choice.

I have also chosen not mention the much touted standing rule of the house of  "Ranking Membership" as the major condition to be a speaker.

A condition which has been  grossly misrepresented and twisted out of context to suit selfish narratives of those alleged  to be hatching the intentions of installing "Puppet" successor, hence will keep controlling the house even when they are no longer there.

An ambition I also have nothing against as Politics remains a game of interest..

But before then, let me ask "Who Is a Ranking Member"?.

And then again, will the House rules made by the 7th Assembly be binding on the 8th Assembly?

Where did the 7th Assembly generate the powers to make an infinite rule for the Abia State House of Assembly?

A house rule is one that can be jettisoned anytime anyday especially by a new house to make ones that will suit them.

So it's suffice to state categorically that the "Ranking Membership" condition remains binding only on the 7th Assembly and has nothing to do with the 8th Assembly unless a simple majority of two third votes to continue with it.

If the Ranking Membership condition is what anyone is relying on to thwart a man's rumoured ambition, then it's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING !!

These are actually Topics for coming days.

Let me stop here by saying that ERONDU JUNIOR's Ambition to be the  Speaker (if at all True ) is one I seriously look forward to as I have always prayed and wanted a legislature controlled by a party totally different from the ruling party as that can help enthrone proper checks and balances which has been lacking in the system for a while now and this will also help the Incoming Governor, Mazi Alex Otti who had professed his dream of running a Peter Obi's style of governance function well.

For as we can all remember, Peter Obi's critically acclaimed Good performance indexed government cannot be discussed without talking about the effect of the PDP controlled state House of Assembly in his APGA Government.

I repeat , a man has the right to aspire and should be allowed to without any form of  overt and covert Media intimidation!!

Thank You all.