Confusion in Abia over delayed inauguration of State Assembly
Members-elect of the Abia State House of Assembly are currently in a state of anxiety over the alleged failure of Governor Alex Otti to issue a proclamation for the inauguration of the House.
Newsmen learnt that by the calendar of the House, it was supposed to be inaugurated today, Tuesday.
However, no official communication has been received by the members-elect.
A public affairs analyst in the State, Mr Eric Ikwuagwu, in a statement on Tuesday, expressed concern over the development, describing it as a deliberate act to emasculate the legislative arm of Government in Abia.
He wrote:
“These are indeed strange times in the state as what seems to be a dictatorship is currently playing out with the unusual disquiet, fear and defeaning silence about the normal practice of openly issuing proclamation on incoming House of Assembly following the end of tenure of the last House.
“The democratic ritual of changing government after every four (4) four years has come to stay in our not so nascent democracy. The executive and the legislature are subjected to elections periodically every (4) four years to renew their mandate or end of (8) eight years constitutionally provided tenure for Governors and President.
“Therefore, it is strange and disturbing that the executive arm of Abia government will start off on the wrong foot by looking like it is scheming to emasculate the legislative arm by not issuing proclamation on time.
“A government that has so prided itself as coming to do things rightly and differently is surprisingly bringing the worst of itself very early. There is no need to play hide and seek with open proclamation of the 8th Abia State House of Assembly, if intentions are right.
“There is no need of making members-elect feel they will be ambushed and principal officers forced on them in their absence. Why will those who are freely elected by their constituents be subjected to sleepless nights watching any move to secretly conduct inaugural sitting?
“Why will an executive that says it has nothing to hide be so secret about proclamation of its state Assembly? Why are they afraid to stand elections?
“Why are they scheming to discard the constitution and the Standing Orders? Why the secrecy? Why leave Abians in the dark? Abians have conjectured that the silence is for sinister intentions based on no-information available to them.
“As we speak, members-elect are on edge lying in wait to rush to the State Assembly complex to be part of the election should there be any attempt to take them by surprise.
“Should this be happening in the state at this level of our democracy?”
