Before the immediate past Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kennedy Ibeh, resigned his position, I had a premonition that the legislator would end up like his predecessors.
In all, the Imo Assembly has had four Speakers in the current political dispensation. Ibeh has every cause to be thankful to Providence for making it possible for him to hold that exalted office for about 10 months before his abrupt resignation, which has continued to elicit diverse reactions.
Interestingly, Ibeh’s successor, Emeka Nduka, is an outstanding lawmaker whose capacity cannot be waved aside, having been familiar with the terrain and legislative processes and challenges facing the House of Assembly.
Nduka is a reliable and responsible leader with elastic capacity. His antecedents and the impact of his humanitarian services so far on the lives of his constituents speak for him in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.
He is a leader that will reach out to everyone and do the needful to empower and sensitise the people at the grassroots level with information on events in the Assembly.
It would be recalled that the people of Imo were fed-up with the non-chalant attitudes of their representatives in the Assembly, but their prayers have been answered through the swearing-in of Rt. Hon Nduka who will change the ugly narratives.
Former Speaker, Chiji Collins, was at the helm of the Assembly for 13 months – between 2019 to November 2020. When a vote of no confidence was passed on him by the members of the Assembly, he was removed and replaced by the Member for OnuImo State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Paul Emeziem, who served for more than 10 months.
Ibeh was wigged and gavelled last year (2021). He came, saw and was conquered because of his unnecessary high-handedness. Simply put, Ibeh has been out, while Nduka took over on September 19, 2022. His ascension was greeted with jubilation across the state.
The subsequent emergence of the Honourable member representing Ehime Mbano State Constituency, Nduka, as new Speaker of the House of Assembly, following Ibeh’s resignation, which can be said to have a whiff of noble intentions (though it was not received that way), is a commendable resolve taken by the Imo lawmakers.
To me, Nduka’s elevation as Speaker came at a time when the 9th House was winding up its session. No doubt, he will make an impact. Being the only All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate that keenly contested during the 2019 election and won under the ruling party, he should have been honoured before now. His representation at the legislative chamber has been super, effective, selfless and refreshing.
Nduka is one of the vibrant lawmakers in the 9th House. Unlike his predecessors whose outings for the good people of Ehime Mbano were nothing to write home about, he moved motions and sponsored bills that visibly impacted positively on lives of his constituents and Imo people in general.
Antagonistic behavior and the superiority- complex syndrome, which rocked the Imo House of Assembly in the past, will be clearly jettisoned because Nduka is a man of the people who carries everyone along in the scheme of things. He is a lawmaker who has a penchant for unity of purpose and believes in peaceful- coexistence with his fellow members of the Assembly.
The new Speaker is expected to recall suspended members of the assembly, such as Okechukwu Onyekanma, representing Mbaitoli Constituency and Ekene Nnodimele, representing Oguta State Constituency, who were unjustifiably edged out by his predecessor, Kennedy Ibeh, over what was described as legislative misconduct.
Nduka’s relationship with his honourable colleagues is commendable. He should therefore ensure that good bills authored by colleagues are quickly passed Into law for the enhancement of economic development in the state.
Moreso, the people expect him to revive the harmonious relationship with other arms of government: The Executive and Judiciary. It is now obvious that the 27 Imo legislators will always associate themselves with Nduka’s exemplary leadership qualities rooted in wisdom, humility and selfless representation.
It is the passionate prayers of Ndimo that God will continue to strengthen him with the legislative enablement towards unlocking the hidden treasures in the 9th Assembly and bring back to track the robustness that Imo State House of Assembly was known for.
*** SAMPSON UHUEGBU
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