Two members of the House of Representatives, Francis Oghene Waive
(Ughelli South/Udu federal constituency) and Ossai Nicholas Ossai
(Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani federal constituency) on Thursday
disagreed over the establishment of two polytechnics in their
constituencies.
This followed after a Bill for the establishment of a Federal
Polytechnic in Orogun, Ughelli North Council Area of Delta State scaled
through second reading at plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker, Ahmed
Wase.
There was, however, a mild drama as Ossai of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) raised a point of constitutional order on the need to adhere
to the federal character principle.
Ossai, who was piqued over Senate’s alleged refusal to consider his Bill
seeking to establish a Federal Polytechnic in Kwale, argued that it
would be unfair to site another polytechnic in the Delta Central
senatorial zone, which already has six state and federal tertiary
institutions.
His intent was to block consideration of the Bill on the Orogun
Polytechnic on the basis that it was a replica of his own Bill, but Wase
ruled him out of order, maintaining that his point of order was
irrelevant to the issue at stake, which revolved around Delta State.
Dissatisfied with the Deputy Speaker’s position, Ossai, who accused the
House of ganging up against the interest of his constituency, said his
Bill on the establishment of Federal Polytechnic in Kwale scaled the
third reading in the House on July 25, 2019.
He alleged that when the Bill was introduced on the floor of the Senate
on December 12, 2019, it was stepped down at the behest of Deputy Senate
President, Ovie Omo- Agege, who sponsored the Orogun Polytechnic Bill.
Ossai claimed that repeated effort to get the Bill relisted on the
Senate order paper for concurrence met the brick wall due to Omo-Agege’s
overbearing influence.
He, therefore, urged the House to step down the Orogun Polytechnic Bill
and constitute a committee of principal officers with the exclusion of
Omo-Agege in order to address his grievances.
Reacting, Waive who sponsored the Orogun Polytechnic Bill in the House,
expressed dismay over Ossai’s conduct, adding that he reserved the right
to sponsor any Bill that would benefit his constituency.
Waive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) blamed Ossai for not doing
the needful to ensure the concurrence of his Bill in the Senate.
He also defended Omo-Agege, saying there was no way he would go out of
his way to block Ossai’s Bill on the establishment of a Federal
Polytechnic in Kwale, which would be beneficial to Delta State.
Insisting that it would be in the best interest of Delta State to have
more federal institutions irrespective of the location, he argued that
there was no way an individual to step down a Bill in the Senate or
House of Representatives.
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