By Kassim Omomia We have watched Ben Okezie Kalu the deputy speaker of the House with all admiration. He exudes humour, humility and hardwork. Kalu did not catch our glimpse from the wrong side but from a prism of competence, dedication and above all patriotism in his legislative duties. Even though we may not have a full grasp of Okezie’s elementary political life up till his ascension to the exalted office of Deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, but it is on record that he served extremely well and meritoriously when as a first time member of the House of Representatives he was chairman Media and Publicity committee, doubling as spokesperson and image maker. Okezie stirred the House public outlook to the approval of Nigerians and the outside world,comparing that unit of the Nigerian bicameral legislature he managed its image to world parliaments, like the US Congress and the British House of Common,among others. At home, the House of Repr...

.........𝒂𝒔 𝑨𝒃𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 In a troubling turn of events for democracy and freedom of expression in Abia State, a court has issued an order barring Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, a former commissioner, from making public statements against Governor Alex Otti.  This ₦100 billion defamation suit raises alarming questions about the state of dissent and accountability in a state that should be fostering open dialogue and criticism. The implications of this court order are profound.  It signals a dangerous precedent where criticism of government officials is not only discouraged but actively punished.  When a government resorts to silencing dissent through lawsuits and gag orders, it shifts from governance to intimidation....

...........𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 The long-awaited rehabilitation of the Bende Ozuitem electricity line has officially commenced, a significant development made possible through the efforts of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu PhD CFR.  This initiative marks a pivotal moment for the people of Ozuitem, Bende, and neighboring communities, who have endured prolonged periods without reliable electricity. For years, the residents of these areas have faced numerous challenges due to the lack of electricity, impacting their daily lives, economic activities, and overall quality of life.  The absence of a stable power supply has hindered local businesses, limited educational opportunities, and affected healthcare services.  However, with the commencement of this rehabilitation project, there is renewed hope for a brighter future. Since...

.........𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 In a significant move aimed at fortifying the political landscape of Abia State, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, has made a strategic return visit to Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the esteemed representative of the Abia North Senatorial District.  This visit, which follows a previous courtesy call by Senator Kalu to the Deputy Speaker’s official guest house, marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing dialogue between two of Abia’s most influential political figures. The earlier meeting between Kalu and Kalu was characterized by deep discussions focused on the future of Abia’s political environment, emphasizing the need for unity and collaboration within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.  Today’s follow-up engagement not only reaffirms their commitment to these discussions but also signa...