KYENGE VS IKYANGE: This Is Not Change!!

By Orshi Daniel

 “The greatest authority which a legislature wields in a democratic society is not its legal powers as contained in the constitution, but its moral authority, as the conscience of the nation and the protector of the sovereignty of the people. Thus, members of the legislature must be men and women of high moral authority and integrity.” Professor Itse Sagay, SAN. The events of last Tuesday and Thursday on the floor of the Benue State House of Assembly should serve as an early warning signal to democrats.


 On Tuesday, legislative business for the day was fractured following a point of order raised by member representing Logo State Constituency, Hon. Dr. Kester Terna-Kyenge, calling the attention of the House to some infractions to the Standing Rules and a possible restoration of sanity. By Thursday, Kyenge, the voice of courage, was slammed with a five month suspension for standing up for democracy. Interestingly, this is not new to our democratic space. In the Sixth Assembly led by Terseer Tsumba, late Barve Dzeremo was suspended for fourteen legislative days. His only 'sin' was the demand for openness and transparency in dealing with public funds. For the records, Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange and other principal officers of the House are currently on the guest list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on allegations of corrupt practices.

 Both the Speaker and his Deputy have their names on the anti-graft’s guest list. As presiding officers, this development is considered dangerous to the smooth operations of the House and a huge dent on the moral fabric of the Assembly. It was at this juncture that Kester Kyenge came in, demanding that the House leadership should step aside and purge itself of the allegations and save the image and sanctity of the hallowed Assembly.

 Ordinarily, Kyenge would have been applauded for speaking the truth in times of moral crisis and in a compromised political atmosphere, but the opposite became his lot. To discerning minds, the inglorious suspension of Kyenge only reflects the dictatorial and anti- democratic posture of the Ikyange-led House. It is needless to bother us with the nitty-gritty of the laid down procedures for suspending a member of the House because a dictator abhors the existence of laws and rules. However, it is pertinent to pose these queries: What is the fate of an institution that is constitutionally empowered to check the excesses of Executive arm but enmeshed in corruption and flagrant abuse of legislative procedures? Curiously, the same Ikyange, an interested party sat as the Judge in his own case. 

Where is the principle of fair hearing in the episode? In the present circumstances, the House is bereft of the moral courage to effectively carry out its oversight functions over the Executive. The most unfortunate aspect is that this show of shame is happening under an All Progressives Congress controlled House and government. The same party that promised positive CHANGE from the anti-democratic ways of her main opponent, the People’s Democratic Party. As a matter of fact, majority of APC members in the House won their elections on the strength of that promise. It is therefore apt to conclude that this is not the CHANGE! 

For those celebrating the suspension of Kyenge, I say a BIG shame. It is not about the person of Kyenge but the institution of the House of Assembly and democracy. Kyenge has won for himself a medal as HERO of Democracy in Benue State. Between Ikyange and Kyenge, the Benue masses are better informed to make a choice whenever the occasion presents itself. To the eleven democrats, I say congratulations for representing your people and conscience.

 Be consoled by the fact that the verdict of history is everlasting. To the leadership of the House and the fourteen anti-democrats, be reminded by the words of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi during his suspension as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, “You can suspend a man, but you cannot suspend the truth.” Finally, in the court of public opinion, the verdict is unmistakably damning; there is something fundamentally wrong with the Ikyange-led House of Assembly. It is just a matter of time!