By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze, has said the current legislative arm of government is not a rubber stamp assembly.
Critics of the current legislature have said that they seem to only be doing the biddings of the State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), rather than working for the overall interest of the people of the statr.
But the Speaker of the House while addressing House of Assembly correspondents at the legislative complex on Wednesday noted that the two arms of government ought to be working in tandem to see that the dividends of democracy were duly provided for the people of the state.
He said “We in the the 8th Assembly are not rubber stamp lawmakers. We have put up our legislative vision and agenda for the overall interest of Ndị Anambra. We are working with the executive arm of the government. We do so consciously; we do so purposefully, we do so patriotically because we believe that both arms of government are voted in to serve the people.
“And where we will have to disagree , we’ll do so, if it becomes necessary to do so.”
The Speaker, who said he is a proponent of dialogue, added, ” Where we have no cause to differ, where we have no cause to say ‘No!’ we will not differ and we will not say No because that is what will serve the people of this state better.
Stating that the state governor,Prof Chukwuma Soludo, had good plans and intentions for the state, Udeze urged the press to focus on the stories that would grow the state instead of scaremongering.
He assured journalists covering the Assembly of a good and sound working relationship, reminding all that a reward or punishment would await everybody accordingly in the end.
The current Anambra State House of Assembly was inaugurated by the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo on June 12, 2023.
Speaking during the proclamation, Soludo had said,“Irrespective of your different party affiliations, you have been employed by the people to ensure that Anambra blossoms.
“The executive, the legislature and the judiciary must work in a collaboratively, coordinative and cooperative way to achieve project Anambra by making the state liveable and prosperous.
“If you all act fully in accordance with the oath of office and allegiance you have taken, I’m sure that Anambra will have the most productive legislature in the country.
“It is a new productive partnership and as the head of the executive arm of government, I am ready so that we can achieve our common goal which is a greater Anambra.”
