SOUTH EAST DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BILL- THE GENESIS

 

I read with excitement through Arise TV Programme on TV and online that South East Development Commission(SEDC) Bill has passed 3^rd reading, making it ready for harmonization with Senate before transmission to the President for his Assent to become law.

According to the news, the Bill came from Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu in the House of Representatives. However, its critical and pertinent to state the facts by going down to the Genesis of this bill.

Its paramount to state that this Bill was initiated and designed by Distinguished Senator Stella Oduah in the 8^th Assembly when my humble self was her Special Adviser(SA) on Media and Publicity.

After the Bill passed First Reading, Distinguished Senator Stella Oduah, decided to involve her friend Senator Sam Anyanwu as Co-Sponsor, considering that Sam Anyanwu was close to Senate President Saraki then of the 8^th Assembly.

This paved the way for easy passage of the Bill and the Senate transmitted the Bill to the then President Buhari for his Assent, but as everyone knows the deep hatred Buhari the ethnic bigot and his foolish wicked tendencies against Igbos, he refused to assent to the Bill.

I was not there in the 9^th Assembly, but I understand the same Bill was represented but it suffered the same fate under a pro Buhari National Assembly.

The thought was actually going through my mind recently, that I hope Igbos in NASS will not forget to represent the Bill since the original owner of the Bill Distinguished Senator Stella Oduah is not in the 10^th Assembly.

It was after then  I read the cheering news that Honourable Benjamin Kalu has taken the Bull by the Horn by representing the Bill and also getting it pass 3^rd reading, hence ready for harmonization with Senate before transmission to President for his assent.

I commend Hon. Benjami Kalu for that as I believe he will use his closeness to Tinubu and his Chief of Staff to make it law this time.

Congratulations Honourable Benjamin Kalu

Congratulations Senator Stella Oduah

Congratulations The People of South East.

Anayo Ekeanya(MBA, BSc, DAIT) 

Former SA, Media and Publicity to Senator Stella Oduah, writes from Dubai.