The 8th legislature of Anambra State will on 12th June this year mark her second year anniversary. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) dominated House of Assembly which was inaugurated on June 12th 2023, has undergone various changes since inception.

Insider information from the state Assembly has it that the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkemakonam Udeze, has ensured ro­bust legislative actions as well as a level playing field amongst members.

Sources say that the Speaker has handled the legislature with maturi­ty and experience being a three-time member of the Assembly. That he has ensured that all shades of opinions are accommodated including minority opinions during proceedings.

Further investigations into showed that the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Pius Okoye, the Majority Leader Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, the Minority Leader Hon. Johnbosco Akaegbobi, the lawmak­ers representing Aguata 1 and 2, Ihiala 1 and 2, Orumba-North and South, Anaocha 2, Njikoka 2, Onitsha-South 1 and 2, Ayamelum, Anambra-East, Idemili-South, Dunukofia, Ogbaru 1, Nnewi-North and some others are those have kept faith with their constitutional assignments by regularly attending plenary and making useful contributions during legislative ses­sions in the last two years.

But a closer observation of plena­ry sessions and debates in the last two years revealed that most members of the legislature allegedly abandoned their legislative functions and responsibilities to their various constitu­encies to embark on oversea trips to China, Japan, United States and other foreign countries for their personal businesses.

Sources from the Assembly who pleaded anonymity, maintained that the idea of some of their colleagues abandoning the reason for which they were elected to represent their constituencies in the legislature was a dent on their integrity and reputation because nobody speaks for them and their elected representatives have abdicated their responsibilities in the House of Assembly in pursuit of their private businesses within and outside the country.

Further findings from the House of Assembly revealed that a particular member and a few others were some of the House members who seldom attended legislative sessions in the last two years due to prolonged absenteeism from their constitutional assignments.

Sources claim that the lawmakers enmeshed in travels from official legislative duties feel disappointed because it was not what they envisaged that they met as most of them nursed the notion that the House of Assembly was a place to amass wealth as grapevine information has it that some of the lawmakers spent closed to N200 million to fund their elections with hope that they would recoup their money but the reverse has been the case.

They pointed accusing fingers at Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, alleging that he has blocked every loop­hole and leakage that could have been used to siphon state resources unlike what obtained in previous administrations but Soludo’s meticulous nature with public finances has become a very hard nut to crack.

As a result of this, observers of the House of Assembly proceedings opined that plenary sessions are oftentimes very scanty with the recycling of members who chose to remain committed to their electoral promises and constitutional engagements as they believe that they were elected to serve and represent their constituencies in the state assembly rather than abandoning their legislative functions for a wild goose chase.

As the legislature of Anambra State celebrates two years of making laws geared towards improving the living conditions of the people, the citizens are optimistic that the remaining two years of the assembly would be deployed to robust legislative interac­tions, more result-oriented constituen­cy engagements and more dispassion­ate oversight duties. (Daily Independent)