Delta State House of Assembly Speaker, Monday Igbuya, in this interview with Special Correspondent, OYE CHUKWUJEKWU, speaks on his achievements and challenges in leading the House in the last one year. He also talks on the position of the Assembly on the controversial national grazing reserve bill, its relationship with the executive arm of the government, among other issues.
How has it been, presiding over Delta State House of Assembly?
It has been quite difficult. Everybody feels the difficult situation in the state. Before we assumed office, our hopes were high because we thought of how rosy it was in the past. Even my constituents’ hopes were high. Our thinking was that an opportunity had come. Unfortunately, the reverse became the case. We met a very serious recession and the Assembly’s subvention was drastically reduced due to economic situation in the country brought about by the dwindling allocation that comes to the state from the federation account.
We believed that things would change. But after the first three months of assuming office, things got worse. We started telling our people to tighten their belts. It was not all that easy to adjust to the situation. But right now, my colleagues in whom I am well pleased have seen reasons to adjust. Our constituents have also been able to realise that things are very bad, unlike the situation we had been used to in the past eight years. My colleagues have been wonderful people and have learnt to cut their coats according to their cloths.
Against this backdrop, what would you say are your achievements so far?
As turbulent as things are, I can proudly say that we as legislators are to make laws. Despite the difficult times, we have made a good number of laws. We have passed bills which have been assented to as laws of the state. This is our primary assignment. Administratively, we have major achievements like the provision of energy in the House Complex and the legislative quarters. We are also connected to 33KVA power line. Since December, the House has improved on the power source to make our work easy.
There is this impression that the House, under you, lacks independence.
People can say that we are not independent; but as legislators, there is no way we can thrive without funding from the executive arm of the government. We don’t generate income. All the necessary apparatus for legislation must be procured and processed with fund. We are not totally independent or self-funded. We don’t generate revenue. You can’t totally separate the legislature from the executive. You must have a synergy between the two arms of government to function optimally. Without funding from the executive, the legislature cannot do anything. We require the cooperation of the executive to function. People must understand that we are to make laws. If we make laws and the executive finds it difficult to execute, how would that look like? How will the law succeed, if there is no synergy on both sides?
The legislature must synergise with the executive for things to move well. If you must achieve what you want, there must be good relationship in both arms of government.
If you put your constituency projects in the budget, are you the one to execute it? So, there should be a good relationship between the three arms of government – the executive, legislature and judiciary.
What is the Assembly doing to improve the economic situation of the state?
We are doing our possible best to make laws that will generate income for the state and increase the Assembly’s subvention. As a human being, I feel for the state governor and wonder how he would be able to achieve his laudable projects and promises he gave to Deltans in this poor economic situation in the country.
We are struggling to improve laws that will benefit the state’s economic profile. We are also looking inwards to see some laws that can be made to generate internal revenue, so that we can be like Lagos and Rivers. We are looking at better laws to be made. But if there are existing laws on that, we will amend them to ensure that the state’s revenue is on the increase.
Some state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are having factions. How is it with the party in Delta?
Delta is always leading. Unlike before when we used to have Edwin Clark faction and Emmanuel Uduaghan factions, these days, the party is one family. If there are aggrieved persons, the party’s committee saddled with reconciliation will see to the issues. I am just a member of the party. The party is free from factions.
What is the position of the state on the Grazing Reserve Bill?
On a recent meeting of the South South and South East, the issue was heavily debated and resolutions were passed. It was quite clear: the bill is no go area. Not that we should not graze! If Nigerians want to graze, there should be ranches. You acquire ranches from people and put your cows inside them. That’s our position and the position of the South South Legislative Council. But to say that there should be grazing area will destroy the security of the country. So, for us, it is no go area in this region. On the issue of militancy, our position is not far-fetched. I gathered from the news that Mr. President is looking inwards at our decision to dialogue with the militants. There is no gainsaying the fact that people are aggrieved since the Buhari administration (started). I believe that if one comes to a new house, he would first study the house, to avoid mistakes. You cannot from outside and say that amnesty is corruption and stop the programme.
Even when there was no amnesty programme, what we see now was not there. Buhari’s decision brought the Avengers’ attack, because the youths said if there is no amnesty, there will be no oil. As a region, we voted 25 per cent for the President. Does he think that people who voted for him are fools? I don’t know any person from this region that owns an oil block. How can someone from the North come to South to own oil block, whereas people who the resource is in their backyard suffer degradation?
What we are saying is that 65 per cent of the oil proceeds should be used to develop and ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
What, precisely, would you say you have done to better the lots of your Sapele Constituency?
The development of the city is the governor’s priority. But I, as the number three citizen of the state, have ensured that Sapele wears a new look through the dualisation of roads and the beautification of the city. Some persons may say that Sapele roads are very bad; but a journey of one mile begins with a step. Sapele had suffered degradation in the past. In the second phase of development, we will begin to move into the internal roads, to have facelift in the city. Beautification of the city will attract visitors. Before now, people did not believe that Sapele was a city. Some didn’t even know that Sapele existed, but it was a major city in the then Midwest.
Then we had ferries that anchored at Sapele from Oghara. But with the construction of the government bridge that came first, and the second bridge from Benin, Sapele was boxed to a corner. So, people that were supposed to establish something in Sapele could no longer do so but moved straight to Warri. That was how Warri overtook Sapele in development. But introduction of the dualised carriage road and beautification of the town will expose Sapele to city status, once again.
What would you like to be remembered for as a Speaker?
Mine is simple. So many laws were made by the past Houses of Assembly. I want to be remembered for good laws that will enhance the lives of Deltans. That is my primary assignment.
What is your message to Deltans?
My message to Deltans is to bear with this government. The governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has a very big heart for Delta State. He means well to develop his people. It’s unfortunate that we are in this financial crisis, but I pray that Deltans should join him to grow the state to come out of these difficulties. He wants his name to be written in gold. Okowa that I know wants to set standard and open ways for his successor. He may have small frame, but his heart is very large. Deltans should keep praying for this administration.
