…..LP plots to produce next Enugu Assembly Speaker.
From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.
As Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, the Enugu state is getting ready for his inauguration as next governor of Enugu state on May 29,Labour Party has advised legislators produced by the party to avoid being confrontationak with the state executive.However must engage the state executive on constructive criticsm and accountability for the good of the people.
The caution stems on the fact that Labour Party produced 14 out of the 24 in coming legislators of the state assembly.By implication has the simple msjority and is gunning to produce the next Speaker of Enugu state house of assembly.
Both the Governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 election,Barr Chijioke Edeoga,and the Enugu chairman of the party,Barr.Casmir Agbo,gave the caution at a Retreat held for legislators elected on the platform of the party in Enugu,at the weekend.
In his speech,Barr. Edeoga tasked the Legislators to defend their mandates gained from their constituents by standing for justice all the time.
Edeoga stated,“Protect your constituencies and your constituents. You should know where you are coming from and where you are going”.
He urged them to avoid being rubber stamp of the executive but should not be confrontational.
“You should not be confrontational with the executive,You should always bear in mind the act of giving democracy dividends to your people. You should distinguish yourselves and not be like the past legislators who many see as rubber stamps to the executive.The people needed a change and you have to give them the change”,Edeoga stated.
ln his own address, the Enugu State Labour Party chairman, Barr. Casmir Agbo corroborated Barr.Edeoga’s speech,by urging the elected members to avoid going into confrontation with the executive in as much as they should equally avoid dancing to the tune of the executive.Rather, to be focused on what their constituencies and constituents want.
Agbo stated,“We are not going to fight anybody as a party. We want factual and truthful governance. We should not be termed opposition.
“There is not going to be any war among you and the executive. The House should ensure that the executive does not disburse funds without approval from the House”,Enugu LP state chairman cautioned.
Earlier in his lecture for the Retreat,Prof. Jude Udenta,a lecturer at Enugu State University of Science and Technology(ESUT),advised the in-coming legislators who emerged on the platform of Labour Party,not to allow financial inducement from the exevutive,to blind fold their sense of reasoning.
The Labour part in Enugu state retreat for it:s elected legislators meant to guide them on the rudiments of their duties,came a month after Barr Peter Mbah,inaugurated 54 member transition committee to work out modalities of proper implementation of his blue print of developing Enugu state contained in his manifesto,into reality.
Mbah has promised to offer an all inclusive governance immediately he was declared the winner of the 2023 Enugu state governorship election and extended olive branch to other candidates,whom he recognised equally as stakeholders to come on board.
Political enthusiasts who are alligned with Dr Mbah’s vision for a new Enugu state have described Barr Edeoga’s task to in coming LP legislators as worthy of a progressive mind and expressed hope Edeoga will equally join the band wagon eventually.
