The Abia State House of Assembly (ABSHA) has dispelled rumors suggesting that the state plans to confiscate funds allocated for local governments.
During a press conference on Thursday, Deputy Speaker, Austin Nmeregini provided clarity in response to speculation that the House had enacted a law affecting local government funds.
He emphasized that the briefing was intended to correct misinformation surrounding the legislative process.
“There is a bill currently before the House, but the claims that we have passed a law to establish a ‘Central Management Agency’ for local government funds are completely unfounded,” Nmeregini stated.
He clarified that the bill in question, introduced by the governor, aims to support local governments without infringing on their funds or violating Supreme Court decisions regarding local government autonomy.
Nmeregini further confirmed that no bill was passed on Wednesday, contrary to claims. He also refuted allegations that opposition members walked out of the House session.
“There was no walkout. All members, including those from the opposition, were present during the session,” he stated.
The Deputy Speaker clarified that the bill is aimed at creating the Abia State Rural Access Road Agency, which is part of the World Bank’s Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project.
He mentioned that comparable bills have already been enacted in states such as Ebonyi, Kwara, and Sokoto, with RAAMP receiving support from the World Bank, the International Finance Agency (IFA), and the French Development Agency (AFD).
Nmeregini emphasized that both state and local governments are required to provide matching funds for road construction; however, he assured that this does not imply the state will have control over local government funds.
“Local governments will continue to receive their funds, but they are expected to contribute to road construction,” he stated.
He also responded to rumors suggesting that current mayors would be disqualified from running in the upcoming local government elections due to recent changes in the local government law.
Nmeregini clarified that the law mandates appointees, including mayors, to resign 30 days prior to the election in order to be eligible, in accordance with Nigerian law. He further noted that Governor Otti did not pursue additional amendments to favor specific mayors, demonstrating his dedication to maintaining existing laws.
Regarding rumors of Labour Party members defecting to the Zenith Labour Party, Nmeregini dismissed them as false, asserting, “We are currently in the Labour Party and have no plans to leave. This concern is just fake news. We remain committed to the Labour Party, and our governor is still part of it.”
He attributed the source of the rumors to overly zealous individuals trying to incite chaos within the state legislature. He urged the public to disregard such misinformation and remain focused on the truth, emphasizing the importance of unity and accurate information in the community.
