Ugochinyere: Lawyer on Laudable Lawmaking Ladder

By Udora Orizu

One will not be wrong if they say that the first time lawmaker representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere is not a veteran in the parliament.

However, no one will describe him as a greenhorn either as this lawyer turned lawmaker has climbed so high the ladder of lawmaking in barely one year and six months of his sojourn in the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.

Before his election into House of Representatives, Ugochinyere, apart from being a lawyer by training and activist by calling, was already familiar with the Nigerian political firmament having served as a national youth leader, aide to a Senate President and Spokesperson of the umbrella body of the opposition political parties – the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP).

Armed with this background, he effortlessly hit the ground running in qualitative lawmaking – sponsoring ground breaking motions and bills to change the sociopolitical course of Nigeria within his short stay in the National Assembly.

His legislative interventions were immediately felt by his constituents and Nigerians as barely few months in office, an independent report of the National Assembly rated him amongst the top 10 lawmakers.

The rating, which was an official information released to mark the end of 2023 legislative business, was based on quality of motions and bills sponsored or co-sponsored by the 360 members of the 10th House of Representatives in the period under review.

According to information by parliamentary monitoring organisation, Order Paper, which was widely published on its official website and other adjoining platforms, a motion on the ‘Arbitrary increase in Petroleum Price’ sponsored by Ugochinyere on July 19, 2023, was rated as being the highest human interest motion, barely one month into the journey of the 10th House of Representatives.

Aside the motion on the arbitrary hike in the price of petroleum products, the chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also reputable for sponsoring motions which have direct bearings on his constituents and Nigerians at large.

Notably amongst his bills are the South East Development Commission Bill which he co-sponsored and has already been assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and is being implemented with the board constituted and Bill for the creation of Orlu State, in South-East Nigeria, sponsored with 10 other lawmakers.

Another is the bill seeking to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended) to limit the period which any individual can serve as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from two terms of four years each, to a single six year tenure.

The Bill also seeks an amendment for rotation of Presidency across the six geo-political zones in the country.

Ugochinyere had in his lead debate said the sole intent of the bill is to enact legislation that will make provisions for the rotation of political power amongst the geo-political zones, for Presidency, governorship in the general elections.

He lamented that Nigeria is among several countries in Africa confronted by threats of political instability and social conflicts, hence the situation led to political actors in the country to canvass for the adoption of rotational and single tenure presidency as a potent political arrangement that can guarantee stability.

However on November 23, the bill was rejected by majority of his colleagues when it was presented for second reading.

Not deterred by the rejection, Ugochinyere in a press statement said all hope has not been lost as more consultation will be carried out on the bill and represented at a later time.

According to him, the decision on the floor of the House did not put an end to agitation and hope as they will realize this objective.

He said, “The struggle to reform our constitutional democracy to be all inclusive and provide an avenue for justice, equity and fairness has not been lost. The decision on the floor of the House not to allow the bill for six- year- single tenure for presidency/governorship and for power to rotate between north and south, all elections to hold in one day, not to scale 2nd reading does not put an end to agitation and hope that we will realize this objective. This is a temporary setback which does not affect the campaign for an all-inclusive democratic process. We are going to review these decisions and find possible ways of reintroducing it after following due legislative procedures.

“All I can tell Nigerians is that we will continue the advocacy and convince our colleagues to see reason with us. If elections are held in one day, it will reduce cost, reduce rigging. If power rotates, it will help de-escalate political tensions, and a six- year- single term will go a long way in helping elective leaders focus on delivering their democratic mandate. All hope is not lost, we will continue the advocacy and we hope that when reintroduced our colleagues will support it.”

Other laudable bills sponsored by the lawmaker which have passed through first and second reading. They include, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.205), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.206), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.197), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.199), Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (HB, 198) and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.200).

Others are, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.201), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.202), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.203), Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2023 (HB.204), the Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 2023, The Land Use Act (Amendment Bill, 2024 (HB.1429).”

There’s no gainsaying that Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere knows his onions and is using his current position to advance the causes he has always believed in for the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

*Udora Orizu writes from Abuja