Abia, reaping from strategic legislature-executive partnership
– By Eagle Okoro
The doctrine of Separation of Powers among the three arms of government – the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary – was first propounded by French philosopher, Baron Montesquieu in his book: The Spirit of Laws (De l’esprit des lois) in 1748. The idea was for each arm to function distinctly from one another to forestall the concentration of powers in one arm, which could lead to absolute power. And as rightly argued by the 19th Century English historian, Lord Acton, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Although, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) recognises the principle of separation of powers, it does not believe that its water-tight application is practicable.
Consequently, there is a lose application and practice of separation of powers, creating room for interdependence among the three arms of government. This allows for checks and balances as well as effective and smooth implementation of government’s functions devoid of friction.
In Abia, the three arms of government have continued to function inter-dependently since the coming of the present administration. The legislature-executive relationship, under the leadership of Gov. Chioma Alex Otti, has been robust, strategic and transparent, focusing, in the main, on the overall social and economic development of Abia and its good people in a sustainable manner.
This relationship is truly positive and in sharp contrast with the status quo ante, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held Abia by the jugular for 24 long years.
Those were the dark periods of the state, where the legislature availed itself to the executive as a conduit pipe, ever poised to legitimise deep-rooted corrupt and fraudulent practices in an obnoxious and repugnant “kill-and-divide” fashion.
It was this negative legislature-executive kind of relationship that stalled the development of the state for the 24 years of PDP in the saddle. Yes! It was this ungodly and Machiavellian relationship that perpetuated a corrupt system, making the legislature a willing tool for defrauding Abia and Abians through the appropriation of funds in the budget every fiscal year for non-existent projects. Of course, those funds were not utilised for the purpose they were appropriated but shared among the key actors in the executive and legislative arms.
This is the reason some projects were routinely recycled in every budget yet never executed. And the people, regrettably docile and helpless, raise no issues nor interrogate the implementation of the budgets, year in, year out. And the crooked PDP took advantage of the public docility and naivety to continue to cash out without end at the expense of Abia’s development and people’s wellbeing.
Imagine an Abia without an Otti as governor! Ever paused to imagine what the condition of God’s Own State would have become had Okezie Ikpeazu succeeded in installing his anointed, ill-prepared Okey Ahiwe of the same filty, fraudulent PDP stock? Certainly, it would have been a holocaust, a disaster of monumental dimension only better imagined! But God said NO! My people must be free!
It is for the sake of the freedom that was unleashed on Abia on May 29, 2023, following the March 18 electoral victory of Gov. Otti, that the people got to know that certain funds were actually appropriated in the budget every year for phoney capital projects and that such funds ended up in the politicians pockets.
Of course, it would not have been blown open that a whopping N10 billion appropriated for the phantom Abia Airport was later “diverted” through 32 different bank accounts. This was the finding of an Audit Panel constituted by Gov. Otti on assumption of office.
Today, Abia has got an executive and a legislature that are on the same page, working in partnership so defined and cemented by one common aspiration and mission to rebuild and reimagine a state so brutally ravaged and plundered by greedy, transactional and mercantile politicians with no second address.
These are professional politicians, whose careers are none other than politicking. Men who were never known for any serious and genuine business but who got into juicy political offices that ironically transformed them meteorically from street urchins to fabulous fame and fortune in just one fell swoop.
Glory to God, the narrative has reversed and thanks to the emergence of a legislature with members that share the same value and philosophy with the executive – both working to upgrade and reposition Abia for greater developmental feat.
The exemplary synergy demonstrates a conviction and willingness by the leaderships of the legislature and executive to move the state away from the position of shame to a pride of place and glory, poverty and underdevelopment to prosperity and sustainable growth and development.
It is a synergy that was ignited and sustained by a common interest for a paradigm shift in Abia’s governance trajectory since the return of democracy in 1999 rather than greed and selfish desires of the political office holders.
It is gratifying that, today, Abians can have a budget that is not only realistic and fraud-free but intentional and development-focused, with greater prospect of a transparent and honest implementation.
This is why watching Gov. Otti assent to the N750.2 billion Appropriation Bill for the 2025 fiscal year, making it an Act, calls for celebration for what it means
for the state.
The visibly elated governor captured the essence of the document in his post-budget signing speech.
According to him, the budget underscores the commitment of his administration to transform the state’s trajectory in achieving infrastructure development.
He described the allocation of 82 per cent of the 2025 budget to capital expenditures and 18 per cent to recurrent expenditure as “a strategic move to address the critical infrastructure needs of the state”.
He said, “Our push for infrastructure development is demonstrated in this budget because when you have capital expenditure over 80 per cent, it speaks to what you want to do with infrastructure, things that would out-last all of us.”
He gave assurance that many of the road projects that kicked off in 2023 would be delivered in 2025.
The list of the projects include the almighty strategic and economically viable Port Harcourt Road, Aba, Umuahia – Uzuakoli -Abiriba – Ohafia Road, Ohafia-Arochukwu Road, Okobo-Abam Road, the Omenuko Bridge, and Nunya Road.
Otti also said that other road projects that had been awarded as well as the retrofitting of hospitals and schools would be completed and inaugurated for public use next year.
Obviously, the import of the urgent attention and accelerated hearing and passage accorded the bill by the lawmakers was not lost on the governor, hence he profusely showered them with gratitude for their superb effort.
Still commenting on the potential development impact of the budget on Abia, he said: “This budget that was passed is a budget that will give us the impetus to continue to fire on all cylinders to ensure that our people are living a good life.
“I want to thank specially, the House members and leadership for doing such a thorough job in record time.
“I want to commend you for being thorough, because that is actually what our government is about.
“We pride ourselves as a serious-minded government, so anything we present, we are ready for scrutiny.
“I want to thank you for a great job you did in scrutinising the budget, disagreeing in a few areas, and also being flexible enough to accept when reasonable responses are given,” Otti said.
He further said that the budget, christened a “Budget of Sustained Momentum”, represents a deliberate effort by his administration to keep delivering the dividend of democracy to the citizens.
“When we say sustained momentum, we know that we have taken off and the challenge is to continue because the easiest thing to do is to accelerate and de- accelerate.
“We can assure you that this government has its eyes on the ball and will continue to do those things we promised our people that will take Abia out of poverty, that will take this state out as one of the dirtiest states, like it was in 2023,” Otti said.
In a brief remark, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa, described the budget as “a very aggressive budget” that would serve as a veritable tool for fostering development in Abia.
Emeruwa said that the lawmakers would continue to work with the executive arm of the government to ensure that Abia continued to experience social and economic growth.
Indeed, the seamless passage of the Appropriation Bill and the governor assenting to it without any executive-legislature rancour and the governor’s assurances to ensure a sustained momentum on the ongoing infrastructure development sends one simple message that Abia and Abians are in for an unprecedented, unstoppable revolution in infrastructure for the next fiscal year! To God be the glory!