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THE NATION TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012
POLITICS
Is Cross River acting governor sitting on the fence?
Towards the end of last year, the Acting Governor of Cross River State, Mr Larry Odey, narrowly escaped impeachment as Speaker of the House of Assembly. Mr John Gaul Lebo, who represents Abi State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, in this interview with NICHOLAS KALU explains how Odey survived the gale.
How Odey escaped impeachment
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• Odey taking over reins of government in Calabar.
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HE Supreme Court landmark verdict on the tenure of elected governors was delivered in Abuja. But, the effect caused tremor in at least five states, Cross River inclusive. Although Hon. Larry Odey has taken over as interim governor some political observers believe that the ousted governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, might as well be running the state by remote control. The situation in the state, which has emphasized the absence of a strong opposition, is reminiscent of 2008, when Imoke was removed from office and then speaker of the Assembly, Mr Frank Adah, pledged unalloyed loyalty to Imoke. From the moment Odey took his oath of office last week Friday, he also made it clear that he had no personal agenda to pursue. While being sworn in, he had said, “This is a sober moment for us in the state. I do know that in all things God says we should give him thanks. I am confident that in a short time from now, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would come up with a timetable for us to reelect Imoke to come and re-occupy his seat.
From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar
“Given the synergy that exists between the three arms of government, the executive, the judiciary and the legislature, we have defined a path of progress and growth. With all sense of humility, I say we would put in our best to make our principal (Imoke) proud of us. Also in a broadcast on Saturday, said he would not hesitate to bring to book anyone engage in any act capable of disrupting the planned programmes of the Imoke administration. Odey said all on-going projects and programmes would continue as scheduled and directed all consultants and executing Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that all works are executed according to specification and timelines. Maybe he saw this as necessary the coming on the heels of accusations late last year that he might be hobnobbing with a former minister who was said to be opposed to Imoke. At the time, it was strongly suggested that it was the main reason members of the Assembly were working to ensure his impeachment, so he would not use his strategic position of Speaker to jeopardise the second term intention
of then Governor Imoke. Members of the House denied the rumour that he was working against Imoke. However, on the other hand it seems the acting governor has loyalty to the left as well as to the right. This is because Odey has maintained a healthy relationship with the minister perceived to be an opponent of Imoke. Despite what the House members said, those familiar with the politics of the state strongly believe this was responsible for the initial moves to impeach the Speaker. Then the people had suspected that the present situation, where the governor has been sacked, may happen and if it does, and someone they do not trust could become acting governor, and given his “strange alliances” may pull surprises. Political observers have said that O The acting governor has been described by some of his colleagues in the House, as quiet, but “not someone you can manipulate.” Though, it seems unlikely, but if the acting governor has any agenda, only unfolding events in the coming days would tell. For now, an assessment of the political scene indicates that Imoke is unassailable. He might just be on holiday, preparing to resume anytime INEC beckons.
As it was in Ekiti, so it is in Kogi
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HE dust raised by the sacking of five former governors across the nation may not settle for now because of the unfolding drama in Kogi State where the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello was sworn-in barely some hours after Captain Idris Wada, the governor-elect took the oath of office. In what appeared like having two governors, safe for the security details and other insignia attached to the Speaker who was sworn-in by the Chief Judge, Justice Chief Justice Nasir Ajanah last Friday. There would have been more confusion. Just when it appeared that the governor elect had been shelved aside in the power game came the report that soldiers had been sent to give him support. The same Attorney-General of the Federation Bello Adoke who had earlier ordered the Speakers to be sworn in backed the latest move. Likened to a similar development in Ekiti State when Governor Ayo Fayose and his deputy Biodun Olujimi were impeached by the State Assembly in 2006, a situation which saw the emergence of Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly as Acting Governor with the attendant commotion, Kogi State is in eyes of the storm. Back in Ekiti in 2006, Olujimi who was the deputy resisted the development, claiming that she was in control of the state and directed those who had business to do with government
By Musa Odoshimokhe
to pass through her office as the conduct of the State Assembly amounted to usurpation of power. The Minister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Mr Bayo Ojo did not help matters. At the same time, there was dispute over who was the Chief Judge, even if in acting capacity. Ojo noted that the appointment of Jide Aladejana as Acting Chief Judge by the State House of Assembly was unconstitutional. The Acting Chief Judge in turn sworn in the Speaker of the Ekiti House, Hon. Friday Aderemi, as Acting Governor of the state. Aderemi acting in the capacity to keep the ship moving was on collision path with the Federal Government. The comments arising from the Kogi hiccup have not been helpful. Though the Independent National Electoral Commission instituted the suit at the apex court the outcome and varied interpretation of the verdict it has opened the floodgate to consequent litigation. Besides, there are issues bordering on the validity of the primary which produced Wada as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Since Idris’ tenure ended in May 2011, the validity of the primary conducted thereafter now weighs heavily on the indices the judiciary will resolve in due course. Put side by side, it is believed that
the constitution needs to be reflected upon if the democratic process in the country must move a step ahead. The tension that emanated in Ekiti in 2006 eventually led to declaration of a state of emergency. How would the development in Kogi end? Fayose who had disappeared after the impeachment resurfaced from hiding only to restate that what Ekiti House did was illegal and with Olujimi claiming that the impeachment process did not follow due process and the Hon. Aderemi talking tough as acting number one person in the state, it was clear Ekiti had drifted and was heading for the rock. When the Federal Government responded to the development, it jolted the democratic process. This brought in General Tunji Olurin (rtd) as Sole Administrator. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said: “We have come to a sad, ridiculous and unacceptable situation in Ekiti where we have three governors. It is dangerous for our democracy to allow this flagrant violation.” In Kogi, a source maintained yesterday that: “Having been sworn in, His Excellency, Governor Wada will resume officially in office. He is already planning to move into the official residence vacated by Governor Idris.” The development has made administration of the state an open sesame. Who is the governor now? Where does the law stand? What happens before the court rules? It is an unfolding drama.
HERE was so much uproar over the attempt to remove Mr Larry Odey last year. What was that about? First, I don’t want us not to overemphasize or glorify the office of Speaker. It is not an elective position. The Speaker is only first among equals, he is just a member of the state House of Assembly, who was recognised by his colleagues as the head of the Assembly. So he is first among equals. He does not have any extra qualification. He did not contest any special election. The survival of the Speaker anywhere in the Assemblies throughout the Federation is dependent upon the good relationship with his members. He has to have a very good working relationship with his members. Once members are satisfied with his performance, his office is protected. His members have every reason to grumble about his leadership. The exit point is very open. The entry point is very narrow. If people look at his face and feel that he is not carrying them along, the Assembly is a group, not an individual. With respect to Cross River, the issues we had basically were the way and manner in which the Assembly was run. It has nothing to do with the Speaker as a person. The Assembly had a split in the sense that even within the leadership of seven, about five of them were no longer in good working relationship with the speaker and when we had serious issues pending in the Assembly, nobody was ready to give an explanation. So, apart from the Speaker and his deputy, the other five members of the leadership were not in tandem. What were the issues? Part of the issues we had were number one, late sitting. From the inauguration of the Assembly, we were sitting very late. We were sitting at 11.30, sometimes at past 12. We complained seriously about that issue. We had other issues of deductions done unilaterally by one or two members of the leadership and the members were very aggrieved. If there are obligations to be paid, they can be paid in between; it does not need to wait till that point. So, those were the issues. And so, the only avenue available for such grievance to be mitigated was an executive conference. From the point of our inauguration, after over four months, we had only one executive session, when we ought to have done four of five of such sessions. We also had issues with other matters, but a few members felt very aggrieved and 21 out of 25 members came together to sign an impeachment notice. The impeachment notice is not a suicide note. It was not an invitation for the Speaker to commit suicide. It was an invitation for him to either sit up and go round and talk to his members or give up. And the Speaker did well. Once he saw the impeachment notice, he went round and he owned up to most of the allegations and pleaded that the problem was that nobody was communicating to him from the leadership. But, it still failed. So, how has that benefitted the Assembly and state? One of the gains of that impeachment that never happened was that it gave us an opportunity to know the kind of person he truly is because , I think he woke and decided to go round and put those things together. We have since then been at 10 punctually and those deductions are no longer happening and we are beginning to have sanity return. If these things were happening before, the issue of impeachment would not have arisen. Finally I don’t think that the way people are taking this as a big deal, taking out the Speaker of the house of assembly, there is nothing wrong with that. If the system provides an entry point and provides an exit point, it is because where you are not doing well, you leave the office. If I were speaker and people came to me and said they are not comfortable with the way I am going and they file an impeachment notice and take me out, I would still return as a member, but I am happy for him. Larry particularly has made us proud by the way he has reacted towards that and also, I think, above all, the governor’s intervention a day before the impeachment saved the day. There have been rumours that you were working to remove Odey because of his closeness to former minister John Odey, who has governorship ambitions, and who it is believed is not working with Imoke’s administration? It is not true. John Odey is not a member of the Assembly. The allegation against the Speaker had 21 grounds. If those who prepared that notice had 21 grounds read at a meeting that we had with governor, it has nothing to do with anybody from outside. Number two, the impeachment notice was prepared and in 24 hours, 21 members had already signed it. It had nothing to do with money. I signed the notice and I assure you that it has nothing to do with money. I was in Abuja, when I was called and told that this was the situation and I said I agreed and I said they should bring the notice to me in Abuja and I signed. They were members who were in Lagos who paid somebody to fly the impeachment notice to them to sign. So, it had nothing to do with whether money had passed hands.It has nothing to do with whether he has a relationship with John Odey. I see Larry as an independent person and he has shown that sense of independence. It seems the governor just dictates to the House? It is not that the governor dictates to the Assembly. I think what happened is that the governor , is the leader of the party in the state and we are all party members, except one from ACN. The governor did not say, don’t impeach the Speaker. He just said, please suspend all your actions and let us have a meeting. And the governor suspended a meeting he was supposed to have with the Council of State and attended an emergency meeting with us. . All the members were present at that meeting and he asked for the impeachment notice and the grounds and he asked that it should be read and explained to him. He gave an opportunity to the Speaker to defend himself, to the Deputy Speaker and to individual members and at the end of the day, the governor pleaded that from what he has heard, this man is even just aware of the allegations against him for the first time. He saw that 21 members had already signed against him, but that it look like if the man was given another opportunity, he may learn from the situation. In fact, the governor asked us to go back and think about the issue and discuss among ourselves whether to give him another opportunity, but that he would advise us to give him another opportunity. We went back and held a meeting and said okay, let us give this man another opportunity. Let us give him a month or two and within that period, we have been able to see some remarkable progress from the issues that were raised.