It's improper to dub the legislature a rubber stamp - Anambra House of Assembly speaker

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Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze

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By Madu Obi

The Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, has debunked the insinuation that the state legislature is a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government, stating that it is improper for people to think that way.

Addressing reporters as part of activities to mark two years of the state's 8th legislature, Udeze stated that working harmoniously with the executive should not be regarded as compromising legislative functions.

He said: "The issue of the legislature being a rubber stamp is sometimes misused. In Anambra State, we have a history of legislative/executive collaboration.

Under the Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration, we have one agenda and the main focus is how to develop the state and for the activities of the Assembly to be in tandem with the policies of the state government.

Our job is lawmaking, oversight and representation, which had worked well through the activities of the various committees. What matters to me is whether the state is developing.

There is no need for people to start picking quarrels with the governor for no justifiable reason. We are doing our own to see that the state is moving forward. The thing is that to some people, once there is no quarrel between the governor and the house, the legislature is dubbed a rubber stamp."

According to him, even members of the opposition parties in the house have seen the need for all of us to work together because this 8th Assembly is people-oriented.

Udeze explained that the Assembly passed 31 bills into law for the past two years, adding that majority of the bills were sponsored by the executive arm of government. He added that there were 11 private member bills.

Among notable laws passed by house include the Local Government Election Law, the Homeland Law, which, he said, has brought about significant changes and adequate security in the state.

On the independence of the legislature, Udeze said it is work in progress, adding that in the meantime, the state government is supporting the house in the execution of its activities.

The Speaker commended Governor Soludo, for the renovations carried out in the Legislative Complex in the past two years, which, he added, demonstrates a strong working relationship between the two arms of government.