Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu.(Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly).
Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji. (Majority Leader, Abia State House of Assembly).
The trending issue now as it concerns the legislative arm of the government in Abia State is who becomes the next speaker of the 7th Assembly.
The present Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu and the member representing Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency has done well on the seat in terms of lawmaking, passing pertinent bills into long lasting laws that would ensure smooth running of the government of the day and sustain governance in Abia State at large.
His leadership prowess and style has created the robust and cordial relationship between the legislative and the Executive arms of the Abia State government since his emergence as the 10th Speaker of the Abia House of Assembly and the 3rd within the first tenure of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration following the Impeachment of Rt. Hon Martins Azubuike, the member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency, and the unbelievable resignation of the 24hrs Speaker, Rt. Hon. Bishop Kennedy Njoku, the member representing Osisioma Ngwa North State Constituency.
Beyond the ambience of lawmaking and its nitty gritty, the politics of the Abia House seems to be getting fierce and interesting since the much-long-rumoured interest in the Speakership position of the member representing Umuahia Central State Constituency and the Majority Leader of the Abia Assembly, Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji suddenly reawakened.
Some political analysts had earlier posited that since the Governorship seat is manned by an Ngwaman, that it’ll be fair and equitable that an Ngwa fellow should not be the Speaker of the Assembly but due to geographical structure and zoning formular of political leadership as it affects governance in Abia, the incumbent Speaker Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu, is from the Ngwa extraction, Isiala Ngwa South, to be precise which is in Abia Central Senatorial Zone as well as his predecessor, Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike, who equally hails from Isiala Ngwa North and from the same Senatorial district too.
Abia Central Senatorial zone has six local government areas, namely, Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South, Ikwuano, Osisioma, Umuahia North and Umuahia South.
Others still opined that the argument holds no water with the fact that it was a mere coincidence that the Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, comes from another Senatorial zone, Abia South, eventhough he’s an Ngwaman, that any local government from the Abia Central zone can produce the Speaker.
In all good conscience and by virtue of equity and fairness, the two ‘Isiala Ngwas’ have both taking their turns including Osisioma even if it is for one minute, which now creates the opportunity for the remaining local governments to aspire for the position given consideration where the Governor hails from.
However, a renowned umuahian, exactly from Umuahia North, Hon. Chinedum Orji, son of the immediate past Governor of the State and a serving Senator in the National Assembly, Chief T.A Orji, who is from the same Senatorial zone is warming up and ebuliently qualified to take over the mantle of the Speakership position from the Ngwa Aboringine, Rt. Hon Kalu.
How willing is the incumbent to relinquish that seat of power to the Majority Leader, his closest rival? Has he the audacity and temerity to contest the number three seat of power that heralded and showcased him into limelight of politics with the Umuahian? Would Kalu give up the seat to Hon. Orji are still questions yet to be answered.
The feeler is both those who understand the rudimentaries of politics and those without an inkling of it are firing from all cylinders writing in favour of Hon.Orji to grab the seat but unfortunately none of the protegonist has the mandate or the voting right to elect anyone on the seat except elected members of the State House of Assembly.
While some analysts adjudged Hon. Orji as the most influential and affluent among the State lawmakers who would leverage on his opulence to lure two-thirds of his colleagues to his side. Notwithstanding, a subset of people see it as an uneasy battle, on the otherhand, some onlookers say it is a clear act of “give me back what I wilfully handed to you to keep for me”.
Before now, it was rumoured that, Hon. Orji was the suitable man to replace the impeached Rt. Hon Martins, but due to some underground speculation played by some henchmen, they quickly retreat and arranged to settled for the incumbent, Speaker, Rt Hon. Kalu to pilot its affairs. This is to disprove and disabuse the people’s mind on the already flapping news making the rounds that Hon. Orji wants the position at all cost.
Hence, it is on this premise and rider that the disillusioned few thought that it’s time for Kalu to reciprocate the privilege given to him. Now, having tasted the honeycomb, will it be the axiom of given a monkey water easily and the difficulty of retrieving the cup comes to play here?
Whereas some describe it as an impending war against the Ngwa extraction and against a very loyal and astute Leader, Rt. Hon Kalu, who did climbed the apex ladder of legislative business at the State level by his sole effort or power of conviction but with the supreme backing of a silent man in the seat of governance of Abia State as governor.
Much as Rt. Hon. Kalu is silent on the issue and despite the overriding influence of the Majority Leader, Hon.Orji, the bulk of the decisions still lie in the hands of the members-elect of the coming 7th Assembly, moreover the sitting governor equally has an interest in the position.
So, the game is not done and dusted as many political jobbers think. It is not an easy cruise game that has been won ages ago. It’s still a game of the mind and integrity on the sides of the lawmakers, whom their constituents believe should prioritize the interest of the State at heart and the people living therein before personal aggrandizement. It is about lobby and lobbying.
The politics of the Speakership is beyond what the eyes could see but borders on making laws and formulating policies that would better the lots of the people and attract the needed transformation this State yearns for in order to move it forward.
2 Replies to “Speakership of the 7th Assembly: The intrigues, the game plan.”
Wow!
What a good read!
I really enjoyed reading your article. It’s well detailed and explained.
About the context, I think there’s nothing wrong with the Ngwa man continuing his second term of speakership. The Umuahia man should wait till next time.
If the current speaker is doing a great job, why change him?
That’s by the way, please keep bringing quality news like this one.
Thanks bro. Your readership digest is our business. Keep reading Ambassador Newspaper stories, we shall make you our Ambassador for real.
Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu.(Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly).
Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji. (Majority Leader, Abia State House of Assembly).
Wow!
What a good read!
I really enjoyed reading your article. It’s well detailed and explained.
About the context, I think there’s nothing wrong with the Ngwa man continuing his second term of speakership. The Umuahia man should wait till next time.
If the current speaker is doing a great job, why change him?
That’s by the way, please keep bringing quality news like this one.
Thanks bro. Your readership digest is our business. Keep reading Ambassador Newspaper stories, we shall make you our Ambassador for real.