By Margaret John: House of Assembly Correspondent and Efa Sunday
As the eight Assembly of the Cross River State legislature winds down, the Speaker, Honorable John Lebo (PDP, Abi) has said the House grew in leaps due to the cordial relationship between members which led to national recognition.
Lebo who expressed satisfaction with the successes of the Assembly, said the 8th assembly has been awarded best House of Assembly twice due to the almost nonexistent rancor between the leadership and members.
“The 8th assembly for me will rank one of the best houses of assembly. As Speaker of the Cross River House of Assembly, I have served as Secretary of the Speaker’s Forum on constitutional amendment; I was in charge of autonomy of the House of Assembly, Judiciary Autonomy, Local Government Autonomy and all of that, that is at the national level that I have dealt with.
“I wouldn’t have been given that responsibility if my House of Assembly members were always fighting and throwing chairs among themselves or I and the Executive were always fighting among ourselves or I am always on the threat of being removed by my colleagues or the house was unstable.
“We really need to have a peaceful House for the speaker to be recognised at the national level and given that responsibility. Please find out if before me the House of Assembly has ever been given a national award as the best house of assembly twice. The achievement is that I have colleagues that have given me that support,” Lebo said.
Mr. Lebo will not be returning in the 9th assembly and he urged his successor to embrace and practice a more democratic government within the house, noting that “it is the pedestal in achieving undeniable success.”