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Author: Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
Posted to the web: 3/27/2011 6:58:08 PM


2011: THE NATIONALASSEMBLY TO BE REINVIGORATED AS GOV AMAECHI UNLEASHES HIS FIRST ELEVEN ON THEHAPLESS OPPOSITION IN RIVERS STATE

                                                                      By

                                                        Eze Chukwuemeka Eze

ezemediaconcept08@rocketmail.com,mediaconsultanttpcorivers07261@gmail.com, 08038199163

In Nigeriandemocracy, there are three main functions of government, which are oftendistinguished under the doctrine of the separation of powers. Those who havethe formal power to create legislation are known as Legislators; a judicialbranch of government has the formal power to interpret legislation while theexecutive branch of government acts only within the powers and limits set bythe law. In Nigeria,the National Assembly is the branch vested to perform the legislative functionsand it is a bicameral legislature established under section 4 of the NigerianConstitution and the highest law-making body of the country. It consists of109-member Senate and a 360-member House of Representatives.

The term of theNational Assembly is 4-years from the date of its first seating after thegeneral elections. The current 6th National Assembly was inaugurated on 5thJune 2007. The body, modelled after the federal Congress of the United States,is supposed to guarantee equal representation of the states irrespective ofsize in the Senate and proportional representation of population in the House.The National Assembly, like many other organs of the Nigerian government, isbased in the federal capital Abuja.The Senate is chaired by the President of the Nigerian Senate, the first ofwhom was Nnamdi Azikiwe, who stepped down from the job to become the country'sfirst Head of State. The House is chaired by the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives.  At any joint session of the Assembly, the President ofthe Senate presides and in his absence the Speaker of the House presides.Currently, the Senate is headed by Sen. David Mark [GCON] while the House ofRepresentatives is headed by Hon. Oladimeji Bankole, [CFR]

The Assembly hasbroad oversight functions and is empowered to establish committees of itsmembers to scrutinise bills and the conduct of government officials. Since therestoration of democratic rule in 1999, the Assembly has been said to be a'learning process' that has witnessed the election and removal of severalPresidents of the Senate, allegations of corruption, slow passage of privatemember's bills and the creation of ineffective committees to satisfy numerousinterests.

While the Assemblyhas made strong and often popular efforts to assert its authority and independenceagainst the executive, it is still viewed generally in a negative light by themedia and many of the Nigerian people. The Assembly sits for a period of atmost four years, after which time the President is required to dissolve it andcall a new Assembly into session. The Senate has the unique power ofimpeachment of judges and other high officials of the executive including theFederal Auditor-General and the members of the electoral and revenuecommissions. This power is, however, subject to prior request by the President.The Senate also confirms the President's nomination of senior diplomats,members of the federal cabinet, federal judicial appointments and independentfederal commissions. Before any bill may become law, it must be agreed to by boththe House and the Senate, and receive the President's assent. Should thePresident delay or refuse assent (veto) the bill, the Assembly may pass the lawby two-thirds of both chambers and overrule the veto and the President'sconsent will not be required. The present Assembly has not hidden itspreparedness to overrule the executive where they disagree.

Having defined whatthe essences of the National assembly in Nigeria are the main thrust of thisattempt will now be pursed accordingly. The ‘learning process’ of the NationalAssembly may become a thing of the past if the efforts and vision of Rt. Hon.Chibuike Amaechi the Governor of Rivers State is anything to go by. Accordingto him, ‘we have taken enough of the ‘learning process’ and slow pace of law makingin Nigeria with but the calibre of representation we are sending to the 7thNational Assembly is to be judged with the learning process of the NationalAssembly may be a thing of the past. According to some political observers ofthe Rivers State, the State is sending her besthands to make a change in how the National Assembly is being conducted. Themain thrust of this attempt therefore is to reveal these new helmsmen expectedto make these changes in the 7th National Assembly of Nigeria.

Top on the card is ChiefHon. Magnus Ngei Abe .

Magnus Abe, born onthe 24th of May, 1965 in Nchia, Eleme; had his early education in Gokana at the St. Peters State School, Yeghe and Boys State School, Okrika and roundedup Primary Education at Bedwell Primary School with Merit in his FSLC exams.

He then proceeded to St. Patrick College, Ikot-Ansa, Calabar and later came back to Rivers Stateat Akpor Grammar School, Ozuoba to complete hisSecondary Education with his WASC Examination. Married to beautiful and unassumingbut decisive Mrs. Bariyaah Abe and blessed with four kids, Peter, Phil, Pearl and Ziga.

He defined a careerpath by bagging a LL.B (Hons) and defined a professional career path when hewas called to Nigerian Bar in 1987. Magnus started working as a Pupil StateCounsel for the Federal Ministry of Justice, Lagos. He went into Private Legal Practice asa Junior Partner with Okocha & Okocha, Manuchim Chambers and rose to aManaging Partner with Etim-Inyang, Abe all in Port Harcourt.

He has served indifferent capacities as Member Youth Day Committee on anniversary of thecreation of Rivers State in 1992, Member Bye-laws Drafting Committee -NBA, Secretary Dinner/Welfare Committee - NBA, Secretary Grande Council of Nigeria. Hejoined active Politics in 1999 and was elected into the Rivers State House ofAssembly where he served as a Minority Leader. He served as Commissioner ofInformation between 2003-2007. With the new administration of Rt. Hon. RotimiChibuike Amaechi, he was called to serve his fatherland as the Secretary toRivers State Government. He resigned to join the race for the position of aSenator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

This man hasestablished himself not only as an orator, a tactician, a strategist, aseasoned Philanthropist, humanist but to add to all his political machine isawesome and ready to crush and bulldoze himself into the National Assembly withthe votes of his people. He is cherished and loved by his people. Though he hasa weak opposition, he is not leaving anything to chance as he embarks on doorto door campaign at the grassroots.

For Chief Hon. MagnusAbe, “My vision and dream are of a greater tomorrow for our men, women andchildren. A vision and dream of an improved standard of living for the people livingin the Rivers South East senatorial region. I honestly believe that we can havea future where the basic needs of human existence such as reliableinfrastructure, social services, and improved quality of life would becomefacts of our everyday living. I share in the vision of our Governor,  Rt.Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi that we need to make Rivers State a place where allour people are stake-holders in the sustainable development and growth of thisgreat state and where basic amenities such as Healthcare, Security, Roads andwater are taken for granted by our people.    

2.  CHIEFHON. DAKUKU PETERSIDE

Born in 1970 to amiddle class family in Biriye Polo, Opobo immediately following the Civil War,he grew up at various times in Azumini, Aba, Kaduna and Port Harcourt. Dakuku studied at OkrikaGrammar School, Okrika, one of thepre-eminent public schools in the 1980s, in Rivers State.He was a school prefect by reason of his conduct, leadership qualities andacademic standing. He obtained a B.MLS (Haematology), MBA from Rivers StateUniversity of Science and Technology and currently a Doctoral candidate. He hasbeen through several management courses in the United Kingdom, United States,Israel, France and Spain.

He was an outstandingStudents Union leader in RSUST who gave hope to his generation and exhibitedgreat passion about a bright future that lay ahead. Student Unionism furnishedhim with the skills and experience of leadership, and his belief in publicservice as a veritable platform for positive social change was crystallized. Hehas at various times served as National President, National Union of RiversState Students (NURSS); State Financial Secretary of DPN; State Youth Leader;Restoration Youth of PDP; Special Assistant to Governor of Rivers State onWorks; Chairman Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area; Chairman Board of TrusteesEmpowerment Support Initiative (ESI)  and lately Cabinet Commissioner forWorks (2007 – 2011). He is an unrepentant believer in the democracy as the onlyform of government that can guarantee peace, security and happiness for membersof the society.

Dakuku, Mr.Integrity, goal getter, pro-democracy activist, scholar, writer is nowcandidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for House of Representatives torepresent Andoni – Opobo – Nkoro Federal Constituency.

He has been involvedin leadership training and public advocacy. He founded the Development andLeadership Institute (DLI) in 2002. DLI is the sector leader among NGOs workingin the area of good governance, deepening democracy and leadership grooming in Nigeria. He isa member of several professional associations including Member, Association ofMedical Laboratory Sciences of Nigeria, (AMLSN); Member, Nigeria Institute ofManagement (NIM); Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria(FIMCN). He is also well published.

He is married toElima, a Lawyer, and they have three children: Soba, Belema and Mieibi. He isan ardent Christian, whose hobbies are writing, reading, swimming and football.According to him, “my focus shall be on - Infrastructural Development of the Niger delta,Good Governance, Education, Youth Empowerment and Environment. Regarded as asilent and unassuming operator, he understands the need to see development inpractical terms, hence his tireless resolve to achieve targets. Reports have itof how shocked Journalists were, while during a meeting with Gov. Amaechi,Peterside called him at about 3am to relay updates on a Road construction sitein the State. He is one of the greats that Rivers Stateis sending out to National Assembly. A non-violent per excellence politicians,Hon. Dakuku Peterside knows the worth of human blood and life and that is whyhe has continued to preach for peaceful conduct of the recently concluded PDPprimaries and forth coming election to all and sundry in order to perpetuateand sustain the democratic experiment. Hear him: “Electoral victories like minecould only make meaning when it is won without violence. I abhor violence; novictory in any election and indeed in any human endeavour in life is worth theblood of anyone; no victory is worth the life of any person.”

In anunprecedented move and first of its kind in the history of his constituency, heembarked on the visit of 70 churches to thank God for His immeasurable goodnesshaving served as a Commissioner of Works in Governor Chibuike administrationfor close to four years.

3    DR. HON. DAWARI GEORGE

Dr. George wasborn in a family of five children. His father is a Baptist clergy. Two thingshis parents never took away from Dr. George and his siblings were imbibingChristian virtues in them and giving them the best education. The leasteducated person in his family is a Master's degree holder. Dr. Dawari George ismarried to beautiful Mrs Ibiama George and blessed with two kids – Charis andBerith. He is the immediate past Commissioner for Energy & NaturalResources, Rivers State. He is representingPDP in the Akuku-Toru and Asari-Toru Federal Constituency.

Dr. George had thebest result in secondary school (GovernmentComprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt). A Master degree holder in PoliticalScience, specialising in Political Economy, which is called Development Studiesand Ph.D. in Political Science, also in Political Economy/Development Studies,all at the UNIPORT. He has also been involved in some courses and seminars.

As a peacemaker, hewas the Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of theNational Youth Council at the height of militancy and cult activities in thisstate. “Combining that kind of sensitive office, with the negative things thatwere happening around, many people wondered how I was able to survive. Therewas also security challenge”. Dr. George is a preacher of commitment to work.Anywhere he went, he urged people and the members of the public to put allmisunderstandings in the past behind them and work assiduously as a team inorder to achieve set goals

Dr. George knew hisonus when he was Commissioner for Energy & Natural Resources, Rivers State.He followed the due process and re-organized the petroleum productsdistribution monitoring team, without dissolving the team. Notwithstanding, hedid not treat any member found wanting with the kid's glove. He always stressedhis zero tolerance for bribery and corruption. He made sure that the teamreceived their arrears of allowances owed them and that adequate logistics wereprovided to enhance their operations. During his tenure, the Rivers Stategovernment discovered a huge gas reserve that would last for over 150 years andGeorge successfully came up with a master plan that would enable the governmentutilize gas for both domestic and industrial uses that would include gasdistribution to private homes, offices and industrial complexes. Other plansinclude a template for gas-to-diesel conversion plant that will enable thestate to use gas to power its vehicles.

Dr. George alsocollaborated with foreign investors to build refinery, petrochemical andbitumen plants, to generate employments. According to him in one fora: “We havecomparative advantage to open more petrochemical plants in our state, given theexistence of such plants. Apart from providing jobs for the skilled andunskilled across the different strata of the economy, of course, you know thatthis will oil the wheel of the needed development which the currentadministration has hugely carried out.'

In the PDP Primariesahead of the April 2011, Dr. Dawari George polled 429 votes, beating othercontestants who polled 120 votes, 18 votes respectively. He has since closedranks with other contenders, such as Barr. Onimim Jacks, Hon Daddy West, Chief(Barr) Tam Princewill and they currently spearhead his campaign in hisconstituency.

As the 2011 electionsdraw closer, indications are rife that the Asari-Toru/Akuku-ToruFederal    Constituency seat in the House of Representativeswill surely go to this amiable man. Rivers political observers are gearing tohear the repeat of the reportedly unprecedented event (after April) that tookplace Saturday, December 11, 2010, when political leaders and the masses ofAsari-Toru (ASALGA) marched through the streets of Buguma chanting songs: “DrDawari George na our choice, “we believe wetin Dr Dawari George can do,” “Goand tell them that Dawari na our choice for House of Reps.”.

Speaking on hisambition, he said “My experience at the Ministry of Energy and NaturalResources has shown me that there are fundamental problems in policyformulation in the oil and gas sector of the country's economy. And based onthe fact that my constituency is a major host to oil and gas exploration in Nigeria, I havethis burning desire that if I am at the National Assembly, I can network withcolleagues and effect a change in the existing laws for the oil and gasindustry that can help in developing our people. I also saw at the Ministry ofEnergy that the existing laws do not take into cognizance the well-being of ourpeople. I have also seen that while there is so much hype about reforms in thesector, they have actually not been far-reaching enough to assuage the terribleconditions of our oil and gas-bearing communities. We feel that going to theNational Assembly will afford us the opportunity to effect a change” heexplained.

4. Hon. OgbonnayaNwuke

He is the son of thelate Chief (the Hon) JHE Nwuke who was Parliamentary Secretary Internal Affairsunder the Nnamdi Azikiwe administration in Eastern Nigeria and later ProvincialCommissioner for Port Harcourt Province and Minister ofState, Ministry of Works Eastern Nigeria under the administration of Dr. M.I.Okpara.

A Nigerian journalistof note and Publisher of the Port Harcourt Telegraph, a Port Harcourt based tabloid. He was theDirector of Press Affairs to Gov. Chibuike Amaechi, Governor of Rivers Stateand was later appointed Commissioner for Information from where he was moved tothe ministry of Commerce as Commissioner.  He is billed to represent thepeople of Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency of the Rivers Statechapter of the People's Democratic Party (PDP)

Nwuke is regarded asone of those that stood with Amaechi during his trying period when he went onexile following his stolen mandate. Nwuke at the time was steadfast in hiscommitment to ensure that his paper did not go the way of other well respectedtabloids who had taken pecuniary gains to carry out a media onslaught againstAmaechiâ's character. Nwuke remained resolute in his refusal to build his ark onmischief, even when a lot of Rivers people hid under the pretext of 'stateism'and patriotism and caused a lot of havoc on the person of Amaechi and tagged itfor 'Rivers Unity'.

As a Commissioner forInformation in the Governor Amaechi-led government before his re-appointment ascommissioner of Commerce and Industry, Ogbonna Nwuke became a role model tomany youths, not only in the state, but in the Niger Delta region. He made surehe was in the forefront to avoid any hoodwinking information in the state. Ascommissioner for Information, the ministry was ahead of its ilk in thedissemination of information and sensitivity campaigns in many areas likeempowerment, drug abuse, child trafficking, encouraging girl-child education,alleviating poverty and encouraging youths to desist from social vice.

Nwuke's campaignagainst any form of violence in the state and in the Niger Delta at large is evidentin the peaceful co-existence of inhabitants of the state today.  Hisactivism has influenced more Rivers people and beyond to actively be involvedin the integration of all the regions of Rivers State.He improved the quality of information in the state, and similarly, did hisbest to ensuring there was a conducive circulation of information for thepeople's consumption.

By and large, becauseof Nwuke's informative crusade against the spread of criminality, he is todayseen as the symbol and hero of the struggle to rid Rivers Stateand the entire Niger Delta of criminality and violence. He solicited for thesupport of the general public at the peak of his campaign to report everysuspicious activity to the security operatives.

The support he enjoysis evident in the choice of his candidacy as by the entire people ofEtche/Omuma Federal Constituency.

5. Hon. KingsleyOgundu Chinda

Born on 24th day ofMarch, 1966 to the family of Chief Thompson Worgu Chinda and Caroline IhuchiChinda (nee Nwaoshor) in Rumuodani Community, Elelenwo Town in Obio/Akpor LocalGovernment Area of Rivers State; Chinda started his primary education at St.Marks State School Elelenwo and at Municipal Council School I, Orogbum alongAgudama Street in D/Line, Port Harcourt. He graduated in top colours in 1978and was an active young lad in school, as class prefect all through his primaryschool days.  He also attended the StellaMaris College,Port Harcourt in 1979 and was at the RiversState School of Basic Studies between 1984 – 1986 where he obtained hisAdvanced Level Certificate and gained direct entry into the Rivers StateUniversity of Science &Technology, Nkpolu, Port Harcourtwhere he graduated with a Third Class in law. He is married to Beauty AzeruChinda  (nee Chuku) and they have three pretty daughters (Angel, Kaka andIche).

Kingsley Chindahas always been involved in politics. He was Legal Adviser to Social DemocraticParty (SDP); Grassroot Democratic Movement (GDM) and People Democratic Party(PDP) at various times.

In 2005, Chief(Barr.) Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike the then Chairman of Obio/Akpor appointed him ashis Legal Adviser where he served until 2007 when the council wasdissolved.  He quickly went back to private legal practice with the firmof Onyeagucha, Chinda & Associates.

 In 2008, HisExcellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi appointed him as the Commissionerfor Environment.  In June 2009 the cabinet was dissolved and he wasre-appointed in August 2009 to the same ministry. He served on several boards andcommittees including the Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority Board. InDecember 2010, he resigned his appointment to pursue a political career. Hecontested at the party primaries for a shot at the House of representative slotfor the Obio-Akpor Federal constituency and won resoundingly.

The last among theTrojans is Mr Ken Chikere the immediate past Commissioner of Justice ofthe State. Applauded as one of the best brains in the nationâ's judiciarysystem, his stint as the Attorney General of Rivers State will forever remainthe golden era of the Ministry. .

Today, the judiciarysystem in the state stands out as one of the best owing to the commitment ofthis silent and unsung achiever. It is on record that the famous Supreme Courtjudgement awarding 86 oil wells hitherto in the hands of Akwa Ibom back to Rivers Statewas during his tenure.

With these mentogether with Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake, Senator George T. Sekibo, Hon. AndrewUchendu and other PDP representation, the reinvigoration of the 7th NationalAssembly is an achievable project.

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze is Media Consultantbased in Port Harcourt