The National Assembly in Nigeria (NASS) comprises the upper and lower legislative Chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Drawing heavy incomparable salaries that are not compatible with their legislative output the current NASS led by Ahmed Lawan (Senate) and Femi Gbajabiamila (House of Reps.) happen to be the most inefficient since democracy was restored in Nigeria in 1999. Senator Lawan and Honourable Gbajabiamila are establishment legislative rookies swimming in unmitigated mediocrity.
Yet the NASS they led, despite their poor parliamentary stewardship, must be ‘praised’ here for one or two radical legislative interventions aimed at ameliorating our chaotic electoral system and tepid attempts at tinkering with the constitution to make our fraudulent federation more just and equitable.
The Saraki-led Senate and the incumbent had produced all sorts of crooks and characters — some comedians, others damn megalomaniacs. And yet others could be described as legislative jesters and those seeking ‘immunity’ from storied gubernatorial heist. You have those sleeping away on plenary and others serious enough to challenge the positions of the powers-that-be. The good, the bad and the ugly as it were.
Let us consider two examples, one from the Senate and the other from the House of Reps. Former Kogi-born Senator, Dino Melaye broke all records as a ‘bad boy’ in the upper legislative chamber. He represented the megalomaniacal fringe of the NASS. He displayed extraordinary ‘feats’ while in the Senate. Feats like jumping off a moving police van and injuring himself in the process of daring escape from justice!
Feats like travelling down to Lagos from Abuja and uploading a video of himself loitering around Bourdillon Avenue during his feud with the Tinubus! Asiwaju Bola Tinubu whose wife, Oluremi, is still a Senator of the Federal Republic, must have been informed of the Melaye visit but he kept mute. If he had tried to confront Melaye at Bourdillon perhaps the two men could have exchanged slaps or blows!
Melaye had exhibited early signs of insanity as the filthy lucre he made doing nothing in the Senate took its negative toll. At some point he was showing off his exotic cars in his Lokoja country home. At other points he could show himself singing and dancing celebrating vanity he called wealth.
And Patrick Obahiagbon, the former member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, was a colourful character who used the power of verbosity to mesmerize his colleagues in the lower legislative chamber. He effortlessly coined high-sounding words and exposed his rich vocabulary while speaking to confound some intellectually-deficient members of the House.
The general elections are slated for early next year in February, all things being equal. Some Governors who would have served out their second guber mandate would be scheming to move to the Senate if only to emulate many of their peers, the Theodore Orjis, Orji Uzor Kalus, Rochas Okorochas, etc, all running away from the EFCC and/or fraud.
The former Anambra State First Lady, Ebelechukwu Obiano, alias Osodieme, has indicated publicly her interest to contest for the Senate. Madam Obiano is, therefore, going to the Senate! With millions of Dollars ex-Governor Obiano looted from the Anambra state treasury Osodieme would be able to bulldoze her way to through by hook or by crook.
Since ambition is never a crime we welcome Ebele to the crowded race for the Senate. But in the event of failure she must take her defeat with equanimity knowing fully well that the Awka slapping show of shame must have played a crucial role in that outcome. In the event of victory, however, she must do herself and Ndi-Anambra a favour of composing herself with dignity.
If she had usually drunk herself to stupor as a First Lady in Awka she must push away the bottles of whisky or champaigne to be able to push through bills in the hallowed chamber capable of changing the federal legislative narratives. She must not contemplate slapping anyone or provoking unnecessary altercations or fisticuffs.
While in Abuja she would definitely seek to make name and money for herself like the Tinubus in Lagos. Of course Osodieme had made money and name for herself as the fanciful beautiful wife of the then Governor. Scandals abounded! During the Coronavirus global pandemic last year she had to travel all the way to the States, Houston Texas, to have her anti-COVID jab!
Again she reportedly fought with Senator Uche Ekwunife abroad. Besides, she attended a social event somewhere in Anambra State wearing a pair of Gucci sunglasses valued at thousands of Dollars! Even Imelda Marcos of the Philippines could not have done better.
And now the worst of all scandals. Ebele had recently engaged in a fisticuffs with the widow of the late Biafran hero, Bianca Ojukwu in Awka during the swearing-in ceremony of the incumbent Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo weeks ago. She had provoked the whole thing and what followed was an exchange of dirty slaps and pulling of wigs in the presence of dignitaries!
Now, she had since apologised to Gov. Soludo and Ndi-Anambra for her disgraceful act. But the damage had been done. Ambassador Bianca had narrated her own side of the story on TV. The aggressor was Mrs Obiano on that fateful day as power changed hands.
Yet what Bianca said that shocked folks was that Ebele was drunk because her mouth was oozing out alcoholic odour as she spoke! Then the questions: why would a First Lady come to an event as important as that tipsy or drunk outright? So that then meant that the Obianos were just whisky or champaigne-friendly?
Why did Ebele come late to the event well after her husband had arrived and taken his seat? Was there a conjugal clash prior to their attendance?
Now that Osodieme Ebele Obiano is ‘slapping’ her way to the Senate this is hoping that she would not pick another fight with Senator Uche Ekwunife, another senatorial amazon from the great Anambra State. Decorum must be demanded from the Obiano arrogant wife.
SOC Okenwa
soco_abj_2006_rci@hotmail.fr
