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CELEBRATING 65 YEARS OF POLITICAL LEGISLATIVE PROVIDENCE.

Any given responsibility must have fundamental unit for successful running of leadership affairs.

In leadership, it’s believed that there can’t be walk over if one personal Score Card does not reach average percentage.

Chief Barr. Peter Linus Umoh was born on August 19, 1957 in Amamong, Okobo LG where he attended primary education. His secondary Education was in Oron L.G of Akwa Ibom State. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Calabar, Bachelors of Law from the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He’s also a qualified lawyer having been called to Bar. He’s married to Mrs. Florence Peter Linus.

Let’s recount on the history of legislature in Akwa Ibom State and contributions by Chief Barr. Peter Linus Umoh;

Created on 23rd September, 1987, Akwa Ibom State had its first Legislature on January 20, 1992 when the first civilian Governor, Obong Akpan Isemin made a proclamation to that effect. There was a rather strange political experiment sustained by the General lbrahim Badamosi Babangida administration where a military man was at the centre as “President” and the states had elected representatives – something akin to a diarchy.

Dr Okon Ekanem, pioneer deputy clerk who later became the clerk of the legislature in 1999, reports that the pioneering effort of the first set of legislators in Akwa Ibom State, 48 in number, supported by an initial 87 staff members, had formed the foundation on which subsequent crop of lawmakers have grown and have come to benefit from the antecedents, practices, experiences and of course, the shortcomings of their predecessors.

The Legislature in Akwa Ibom State had a humble beginning having been born out of the debris of a long military rule which kept dislocating whatever political structures and legacies the political class was able to form in the history of the Nigerian nation. There was inadequate preparation for the re-introduction of civil rule (partial as it was) and Akwa Ibom legislature was not spared the effect of such inadequacy.

This partly explains why the House of Assembly started inside an old, rather small building that served as meeting hall for the then Uyo Province during the provincial era. This was the humble beginning of what has now become a properly entrenched arm of government with a befitting physical complex and facilities which though may still be inadequate, has tremendously improved over­time to reflect the profile of the legislature as the second arm of government.

Perhaps one could recall that due to the strange phenomenon of having a military president at the centre, time tested politicians decided to tarry a bit, thus giving a chance to a crop of young politicians who were popularly referred to as “new breed” in the political lexicon. Howbeit, the members tried to perform the much needed duties of law making and the exercise of oversight functions over the operations of the executive arm of government.

Like in any circumstance, paucity of funds tended to have affected the work and by extension the relationship of the first Legislature with the executive arm because of suspicion of starvation of funds. Such suspicion must have found expression in the action of the honourable members who changed their Speaker three times within a period of about two years (January 1992 – November 1993). Informed opinion posits that this allegation of starvation was circumstantial, dependant on the hard times of those days which affected all tiers and sectors of government.

Records show that the first speaker of the First Assembly in Akwa Ibom State was Hon. Jimmy Jimmy Ntuen representing the then Afaha / Ekpenyong ( OdorolkoVOkon Constituency, followed by Honourable (Barrister) Nse Ben Ekanem representing the then UtulUruMkono constituency and Honourable (Barrister) Henry Raphael Affang representing the then Nto Edino/Nto NdanglObot Akara constituency. The Assembly had one female member Honourable (Mrs.) Grace Edim Inyang representing the then Itu/Oma/ltam constituency who was elected deputy speaker. The members in terms of political platforms comprised of 32 (NRO and 16 (SDP). 28 bills were presented to the house, out of which 10 were passed and eight signed into law.

The life span of the First Assembly came to an end in November 1993 when the democratic system was again interrupted by the military. The clerk of that Assembly was Obong Enobong Enobong Essien (late).

The Second Assembly got inaugurated on June 2, 1999 with the return of Nigeria to democratically elected government in May of the year. It comprised of 26 members and witnessed the leadership of two speakers namely Hon. Bassey Essien representing Ibeno/Esit Eket and Hon.Chief Peter Linus Umoh representing Okobo. The Deputy Speaker was Hon Aniefiok Thompson representing Nsit Ubium. The Clerk was Dr. Okon Ekanem.

This Assembly received 53 bills, 47 of which were executive bills while six were private members bills. 45 of these bills were passed by the House and 39 of them assented to by the governor. It was during this period that the Legislators’ Wives Association was formed to give the needed support and encouragement to their husbands.

We can safely pop the wine to say bravo to the Legislature which has contributed in a very great way to the achievements of the goals of government and service delivery to the people.

For penultimate years, Rt. Hon. Chief Barr. Peter Linus Umoh has been a leader whose ability to mobilise people for community building is legendary.

Member of Reps who spent half of his allocation sponsoring Oro Youths in Maritime Academy.

A bridge builder who unites all competing interest/factions, bringing to bear a unified and purpose-driven community.

As socialist, Chief Linus is gifted with intuition and wisdom exemplified by the achievements he has recorded till date.

On this auspicious day of your 65th Birth Anniversary, long life and impact filled years remain wishes by the people.

Happy birthday Akwa Ibom State intellectual gladiator, Rt. Hon. Chief Barr. Peter Linus Umoh.