That Government House Budget: A Road To Anarchy
Budget is the official financial statement and position of a government for a particular fiscal year.
The 1999 Nigeria constitution provides for the early preparation and presentation of a budget at least three months into the end of the running year.
Budget is usually presented and deliberated on the floor of the legislative Assembly as provided by the nation’s constitution.
Throughout history, budgets have not been passed in a day, but the Rivers State’s experience has shown the level of disregard, lawlessness and disobedience to the laws of the land.
Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, Leyii Kwanee and other lawmakers have said that the governor is protected by law to spend monies uptil April 2014 if the budget was not passed as at when due.
They reacted to the allegation of State PDP that the pro-Amaechi lawmakers were in a hurry to access the legislative chambers to hurriedly pass the 2014 budget. This hurry in passing the 2014 budget by the pro-Amaechi men at Government House have vindicated the proponents of that statement in December, 2013.
Must the budget of a state be prepared, presented and passed in the same Government House, where it was prepared. If there is no ulterior motive behind the Governor’s quests for passing the budget, could he have done that? He was a Speaker in that House, how many times has he passed a budget in Government House for Dr. Peter Odili the then Governor?
The continuous yes sir syndrome of the said lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly is speedily dragging the state to Anarchy.
A situation where the lawmakers who are expected to be role models are becoming toothless without emulating marks, no legendary and ofcourse not ready to bear rule is quite unbearable and worrisome.
The lawmakers who joined in a suit instituted by counsel to Hon. Evans Bipi challenging the sealing of the State Assembly and taking over of the functions of the Assembly were opposed to the re-opening of the Assembly. Though they were opposed to the suit by Hon. Bipi’s lawyer, they were first to stage a ‘sit on the road drama’ in the guise of protesting police prevention from entering the Assembly, what a circumstance!
These so called pro-Amaechi lawmakers also went on to appeal the judgment they had wanted to die for and now inspite of the appeal, they have gathered in Government House to pass a state budget. Is this the constitution or mockery of the state democracy, or invitation to anarchy? What do they actually appealed against in the court?
The public concern here is for Gov. Amaechi and his purported pro-lawmakers to come out from their hiding cloud and tell Rivers citizens what they are out for in the state.
Initially, the Governor was reported to have been sponsoring the All Progressives Congress, APC but in the broad day light, he denied it at several fora. His Information and Communication Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Seminitari and probably her deputy the Commissioner for Agriculture, Emma Chinda respectively debunked the reports.
Thanks be to God, that what the several tabloids reported though with the stiff opposition has come to limelight.
The Governor is further reported to have been eyeing the Vice Presidential ticket with whosoever, kwankwaso and Buhari, yet he keeps denying it, saying he has no ambition. He is being accused of fighting Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the President yet he said he has no problem with Dr. Jonathan but with the Federal Government. One is tempted to ask, who is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and who is the Federal Government? If Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is a personality or an individual and federal government is an entity, who then pilots the affairs of the entity?
Today, the game is in the public sphere that all enemies to the platform with which they emerged has surfaced, their faces are all known, they could no longer hide.
The Newswriter, reported that the Governor has no structure even with his new found love, the APC yet it was unbelievable but the truth is emerging by the day as cabinet members of the Governor are resigning by the day.
First, it was Barr. Tammy Danagogo, the Commissioner for Urban Development, followed by the Commissioner for Housing and Land Development Marshall Stanley Uwom. They were followed by the Chairman Local Government Service Commissioner, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini.
One would ask, why is the present administration undergoing these turbulent tasks of resignation? An act considered suicidal in the previous years in Nigeria. Now it’s a galore of who deems fits occasion on personal judgment and conscience.
Resignation is best practiced in the Western world but today the Rivers’ experience is an indication that citizens are not only developing but becoming conscious and determined to speak the truth and live or die by it.
While Governor Amaechi’s reasons for divorcing his love with the PDP keep rising, shaking and weaving from ceding oil well to Bayelsa to non implementation of UNEP report rather than non recognition as NGF chairman and refusal to returning the PDP state structure, that of the courageous, ex-commissioners remain a single reason.
According to the abdicated commissioners, they cannot abandon the party, PDP with which they earned their appointment.
Leaving the PDP for APC is likened to climbing a roof top with a ladder and later pull down the ladder.
Here comes the big question as to, with what would such a fellow come down?
Citizens of Nigeria, not only Rivers people are baffled with the antics of passing a state budget in less than an hour and in a Government House.
The claims that, with or without a budget, the state could function up to the month of April is now laughable as the lawmakers are ignorant of the law itself, not to mention their status in the house.
Following the appeal against the court ruling for the re-opening of the Rivers State Assembly, and the subsequent drama exhibited in government house by the Amaechi puppets, is the budget in anyway ought to see the light of the day?
Anarchy looms in Rivers State, but let God arise and intervene in the affairs of men for the liberation of the land. God, help Rivers people to see beyond their nose on the impending danger. ###
With James Mgboineme
Jamesprojectgodwin@yahoo.com.
