FORMER DELTA ACTING GOVERNOR, SAM OBI, SET FOR RECOGNITION BY LAW

The Delta State Governor and Deputy Governor Pension Rights and Other  Benefits Amendment Bill has been passed by the State House of Assembly.

The passage of the bill which seeks to make provisions for former Acting Governor in the Pension law, followed a motion to that effect by the House Majority Leader, Honourable Tim Owhefere, seconded by the Deputy Majority Whip of the House, Honourable Fred Martins and unanimously adopted.

The House had at the Committee of the Whole, chaired by the Speaker, Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, scrutinized the report on the bill by the Joint Committee on Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters and the Special Committee on Bills.

There, some amendments were proposed and adopted with the Chairman, House Committee on Rules, Business, Legal and Judicial Matters, Hon Charles Oniyere and that of the House Committee on Special Bills, Honourable Tim Owhefere, leading the process.

The Speaker, while reporting progress on the findings, recommendations and resolutions of the Committee of the Whole, commended members for the painstaking attention given to the bill.

He stated that the third reading and subsequent passage of the three clause bill was another milestone in the desire of the House to make laws for progress and good governance of the state.

Meanwhile, the Delta State House of Assembly has said the Pension Rights and Other Benefits Law for former Governor, Deputy Governor and Acting Governor is a constitutional provision.

The Majority Leader of the House and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Honourable Tim Owhefere who addresses Assembly Correspondents after plenary, said until the constitution was amended every State House of Assembly had constitutional powers to legislate on the matter.

Honourable Owhefere noted that despite the alleged abuse of the pension law by some State Houses of Assembly in collaboration with their Governors, Delta State House of Assembly was focused on doing the right thing.

The private member bill was sponsored by Honourable Owhefere, who explained that the amendment did not make provision for gratuity for former Acting Governor as he had collected severance allowance as former Speaker of the State Assembly.

Honourable Sam Obi acted as Governor of Delta state from November 10, 2010 to January 5, 2011 when the appeal court sacked the then Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and ordered a rerun election between him and Chief Great Ogboru, then of the Labour Party, within 90 days.