Abia 8th Assembly: When Puppets Rule, Independence Falls (Document) | #NwokeukwuMascot

 Opinion 

Abia House of Assembly: When a Puppet is On the Throne the House is Disgraced by John Okiyi Kalu | #NwokeukwuMascot

Rt Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa

The most critical thing every House of Assembly must seek to preserve is its independence or semblance of it from the executive and judicial arms without necessarily being antagonistic. A House that cannot protect its independence or even pretend to be doing so has lost the basis of its very existence because having three independent arms of government is anchored on separation of powers to ensure checks and balances. 

Without legislative and judicial checks an Emperor will surely flourish. 

Under Speaker Emmanuel Emeruwa, Abia State House of Assembly has lost its way and now a full captive of the executive branch without pretenses. As the symbol of independence of that house he carried himself so badly and engaged in anti-democratic actions in cahoots with the executive branch that the whole house is now being seen as an extension of the executive branch. 

So sad!!

Read this purported communication between the executive branch and the house to understand my point. That the Governor directed his commissioner to officially write the house is not only against convention but a clear demonstration of how he sees the members and staff of the house. 

I recall that while then Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who normally communicates directly with the house through letters signed personally by him was battling with COVID-19, a letter signed by then Chief of Staff to the Governor was received by the 7th House of Assembly led by Rt Hon Chinedum Orji, and the house vehemently asserted her independence and protocol to reject the letter. They cited disrespect and breach of official communication protocols as basis to reject the communication and the letter had to be withdrawn until the proper thing was done. 

The danger in the 8th house of assembly accepting and handling this current communication is that it opens a floodgate for every appointee of the Governor to officially write the house and communicate all kinds of things. Indeed, a rogue commissioner might seize on this to say what the Governor never intended to say to the house. 

Anyway, a house of assembly where the minority occupies the seat of majority leader and the Speaker failed to perform his constitutional duty of inaugurating a member duly issued with certificate of return simply because he believes he can do that cannot be said to be a proper branch of government with the intended independence availed it by our Constitution. It is simply a house of anything goes and more of the same disdain from the executive branch should be expected along the lines of impunity and endorsement of more than N145 billion naira bank loans without debate or approval of the rest of the members. 

Does anyone know what the 8th House of Assembly led by Rt Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa has done about being lied to on the purported payment to Innoson Motors (IVM) by the Governor that panned out to be pants-on-fire tale by the executive branch? A house led by a puppet dare not question the puppet master, I guess. 

By the way, I am happy for my man Hon Destiny Nwagwu on his purported appointment. Congrats too to Uchenna Maduako, brother of my friend. 

-John Okiyi Kalu is the voice in the wilderness