By Cajetan Mmuta
A bill for a law against Open Grazing and other related matters on Tuesday passed through first reading at the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The executive bill was presented to members of the seventh Assembly house on resumption after weeks of a break by the Majority Leader Hon. Nnamdi Okafor.
The bill will be read for the second time in the house tomorrow (Thursday) when the lawmakers resume processing.
This is as four out of the six lawmakers elected under the umbrella of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who recently defected to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) officially announced their defection before other members of the house.
The announcement of the defection had sparked tension in the hallowed chamber of the house but the quick intervention of Speaker Okafor saves the tense situation.
Also, the house during the plenary presided by Speaker Rt. Hon Uchenna Okafor commended Governor Willie Obiano for working assiduously towards the federal Government’s final approval and enlisting of Anambra State among oil-producing states in the country which amongst others were part of the various outstanding achievements of the APGA led administration in the state.
The lawmakers noted that the positive achievement of the state governor, especially, the inclusion of the state among oil-bearing states in the country would further shore up the revenue base and bring about increased development, growth, and welfare of people of the Light of the Nation-state.
However, after the presentation of the anti-grazing bill and motions, Speaker Uchenna Okafor said, “Open Grazing of Cattle and Other livestock Prohibition and Ranching Establishment bill 202, Anambra state passes first reading and taken.”
The four defected lawmakers led by Hon Timothy Ifedioramma representing Njikoka 1 state Constituency stated that he defected to APC because of the leadership crisis n APGA adding that there has been a lot of litigations over the candidacy and leadership of the party.
Messrs Lawrence Ezeudu of Dunukofia, Carter Dike (Aguata1), Nnonso Smart Okafor of Nnewi North told the house that in line with the provisions of the Construction Section 109 subsection 1 that in the event of crisis over leadership, a member is free to join another party.
But the Majority leader, Hon Nnamdi Okafor posited that there is no leadership crisis in APGA, stressing that the only name with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC? as National chairman of the party is Chief Victor Oyeh and no one else and that the party has one candidate for the November 6 Governorship poll in the state.
He said, “We must correct this wrong impression about our party APGA which our colleagues are making because it goes to send wrong information to the general public”.
Shortly after the sitting, Hon. Timothy Ifedioramma in an interview with newsmen faulted what the Majority Leader said on the floor of the house describing it as a move to protect his job in the Assembly.
Be said it was common knowledge that APGA is factionalized even as he denied that the sum of N250 million was given to the six lawmakers by Sen Andy Uba to defect to the APC.
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The lawmakers pointed out that APGA failed to manage its success which led to the crisis in the party.
“We did not collect money from Andy Uba to Join the APC and we have heard that we were given N250 million some said N150 million and some said it is N500 million but I want to make it clear here that we did not collect any money.”
Everybody has the right and freedom of association and you cannot force anyone to belong to a particular group or Political party and even the APGA Reconciliation Committee led by former National chairman Sen Victor Umeh could not help matters.
“We were invited by the committee and we made our points clear and the committee said that they would invite us again and up till now we heard nothing from them so as it stands now we are members of the APC and if care is not taken more members would join the APC before the election; he declared.
