Hon Lugard Osuji, one time Majority Leader, Imo State House of Assemby, made an impressive mark during his four year stay as member of 8th Imo State House of Assembly.
He had represented Owerri Municipal State constituency from 2015- 2019, and holds the enviable record of emerging Majority Leader of the 8th Assembly twice!
This underscored his value to the then House, and more importantly, he was an indispensable asset to the 8th Imo State House of Assemby.
Those who monitored his activities in the House, and his political trajectory thereafter, attest that he ensured that all Executive bills got attention and were expedited for passage after robust deliberations on the floor of the House.
Osuji was at the forefront of championing executive-legislature harmony which made the 8th Assembly the most responsive Assembly in Imo State since the return of democracy in the country in 1999
Lugard Osuji And The Eke Ukwu Owerre Saga
The Eke Ukwu Owerre market was a thorny issue when Osuji represented Owerri Municipal State constituency.
Contrary to insinuations by some of his kinsmen that he did not stop the Okorocha administration from demolishing the ancestral market, Osuji had strongly advocated its re modelling , to become a modern market in line with plans by previous administrations in the State.
It was gathered that the Ikedi Ohakim Administration had intended to re model the market after the Tejuosho market in Lagos State.
That administration had despatced some of its officials, including some prominent Owerri Indigenes to Tejuosho market, to assess and under study the possibility of recreating the Eke Ukwu market like Tejuosho market.
The Ohakim government was however short-lived to conclude the process of remodeling the Eke Ukwu Market.
When elected into the House, Osuji keyed into the plan, and strongly advocated for remodelling of the market and not it’s demolition in line with Owerri master plan.
He engaged in wide range consultations and went around the five Communities in Owerri to brief the elderly, men, women and youths, on the need to change the status of the market, to become a modern market in conformity with the master plan of Owerri, and as advocated by the Ohakim Administration.
Whatever factors or motives which prompted the Okorocha administration to resort to demolishing the market rather than remodeling it, did not originate as an act of the 8th Imo State House of Assembly, but rather an executive decision which he was not privy to.
Inputs At The House.
Lugard Osuji was key to the passage of several bills at the House. Aside sponsoring executive bills as Majority Leader, he moved a motion against Hate speech which was adopted as a resolution at a conference of 36 Speakers of States Houses of Assembly.
“Contrary to insinuations by some of his kinsmen that he did not stop the Okorocha administration from demolishing the ancestral market, Osuji had strongly advocated its re modelling , to become a modern market in line with plans by previous administrations in the State”
The Bill prompted a radical approach adopted by the Federal government to fight Hate Speech across the country.
Despite his short stay in the House, he made huge contributions to enhance the cosmopolitan status of Oweri by facilitating the creation of more autonomous communities in Owerri Municipal. He also ensured harmony and peaceful co existence between indigenes and non indigenes in the Municipality.
Osuji through the act of legislation at the House, created administrative areas for non indigenes.This measure was part of his efforts to ensure that non Indigenes do have sense of belonging in Owerri Municipal.
As part of his oversight functions, he revived some Health Centers for some communities in Owerri, and embarked on several empowerment programmes for women, and youths of Owerri Municipal, which has been widely attested to by the benefactors.
He initiated the special bill for the elderly, which led to passage into law, Imo State Senior Citizens law, a law that compels government to devote resources to take care of the elderly.
Despite initiating several bills and motions, of special attention is the Motion he introduced at the floor of the House of Assembly to encourage treatment of gunshot victims. The National Assembly later passed into law it making mandatory for victims of gunshots to be treated.
In all, Osuji’s representation for Owerri Municipal at the Assembly, was adjudged above average and has been commended for considerably for giving Owerri Municipal effective representation.
He had represented Owerri Municipal State constituency from 2015- 2019, and holds the enviable record of emerging Majority Leader of the 8th Assembly twice!