BNHA Not Appendage Of Government – Angbo

….Says Separation Of Powers Does Not Means Taking Up Arms Against Each Other

MAKURDI: Kennedy Angbo, member representing Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency at the Benue State House of Assembly, (BNHA), has treated with a wave of the hand, insinuations by a section of the people of the State, that the 10th State Assembly are “rubber stamps” and an appendage of Government.

He argued that contrary to insinuations that the legislators have not stamped their authority in handling their legislative business, the State Assembly was performing its duties without fear or favor, insisting that, the governor does not always have his way in the scheme of things as some people were wont to believe.

He also stressed that the current assembly remains one of the most assertive assemblies, who have ‘fought’ governor Alia to bring about quality and positive development to the people of the state.

Speaking to a cross section of newsmen in Makurdi, the lawmaker was of the view that the allegation that the current crop of lawmakers were mere rubber stamps, they were carrying out their functions of checking the executive, where necessary.

Angbo said, “I will start by saying if we are a rubber stamp assembly, then people should explain to us why we have turned down some requests of appointees of the Governor. For example, when the Secretary to Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) was appointed by the governor and he made some comments against the people of this state, the Assembly stepped down his appointment, until he tendered a public apology to the people of Benue.

“Ordinarily if we are rubber stamps, we will jumped over it and not pay attention to it. There have been several cases like that, but is not everything we must bring to the general public to know because we are one government. You see, what people expect from the assembly all over the world is antagonism. But what you don’t know is that, we all came on were one ticket.

“So it is not about antagonism but collaborating in making sure that the state get a fair and better deal for the general good of the people.

“Now, of what good will it be to the people that the governor brings a bill to us and we say no? He say we should do this or that we say no. You the masses and members of the fourth estate of the realm will be the first to castigate us and say we are a wicked set of people.”

He further argued that, “When you say separation of powers, it doesn’t mean fighting or taking up arms against the executive. It means that there is a boundary, a clear demarcation between the jobs, the roles of the assembly from the executive. Therefore, we will not allow the executive to dabble into the affairs of the assembly.

“It also means that the executive will not allow the assembly to over step their boundary by doing their job for them. That’s why the assembly has its role clearly cut out in the Constitution, Sections 16, 128, 129. Those are sections that spells out the objective and power of the assembly, what they can do and what they cannot do. Even the judiciary, no arm of government is almighty. We all have our boundaries, where we can act to certain point, we will not go beyond that.

“Like I said, we have fought with the governor on several occasions, we have had stalemates but in the eye of the public, they will not know. There was a time this assembly refused to sit over issues that were unresolved.

“We have also asked in the past that the executive respect the wishes of the people because we represents the people. And so, if you call us rubber stamps, it means we will do whatever the governor ask us to do. But that is not the case.

“The governor has no power or authority over any lawmaker in the assembly. So, it is fool-hardy for anybody to say we are rubber stamps. However, we work together because we are partners in the development of the state. If there is anything that would alter the plan that the governor has, the executive has the right and it is the executive program that is to be implemented not the legislators.

“We are not implementors, we are lawmakers and so, if the governor says “I want to achieve XYZ”; for example, if the governor says I want to see a harmonized security architecture in Benue state like he did.

“Suffice it to also mention that in the assembly, there are three ways you can introduce a bill. An executive bill, private bill and the legislative bill. In all of these, if the governor sends a bill and that bill is in tandem with what we want, we approve it and if it is not, we have the function of oversight to alter it. And I give you example, the budget of 2025 as passed had alterations here and there”, Angbo said.