Anambra lawmakers demand jeeps to support gov’s re-election

It has been gathered that some members of the Anambra State House of Assembly have given the state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, a condition to support his re-election next year, demanding that the governor must give Prado jeeps to the lawmakers to get their support.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Mrs. Rita Maduagwu, however, told our correspondent on the telephone that the Assembly’s support for the governor was unconditional.

She said, “Those expecting that the executive and the legislature in Anambra will be at war will be disappointed. We will continue to work in synergy with the executive and deliver Governor Obiano for a second tenure.

“The harmonious relationship between the executive and the other arms of government will make for steady progress in Anambra State while still maintaining the principles of checks and balances.”

Spearheading the demand for Prado Jeeps, the Minority Leader in the House, Mr. Onyebuchi Offor, had at a forum accused the governor of neglecting the legislature.

He described the condition of service at the House as deplorable.

He alleged that the governor pocketed about N1.2bn as security votes, monthly, describing it as unjust and unconscionable.

Offor, representing Ekwusigo constituency, had gone to some radio stations in the state to crusade against the governor in that respect.

Some lawmakers who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said they were neglected by the governor.

One of them said, “We can’t continue this way. This is a man (governor) who does not listen to advice and he has continued to fail to recognise the lawmakers in terms of bettering their condition of service.

“Our colleagues in other states move in jeeps but what we use here is Escape car which is ridiculous. What is the governor doing with N1.2bn every month as security vote; we are not going to allow him to continue like that.

“He has to provide us with Prado Jeeps and improve our condition of service, otherwise we will wait for him during the election,” the lawmaker stated.

In his reaction, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Tony Nnacheta, said he was not ready to join issues with the legislators on a matter that was speculative and baseless.

“We are not merchants that if you say you need Prado Jeep, we give you. Are they saying we should give them Prado Jeeps because our economy has improved or what?

“Are they saying that we should abandon our responsibility of paying workers and pensioners and buy jeeps for them?

On the governor’s security, Nnacheta said he would not want to discuss such issues on pages of newspapers.

He said “Security is a sensitive issue you don’t discuss anyhow. But one issue that is clear is that security in the state has changed for good.”