By Joshua Iraoya
Haven missed in the Deputy Speaker’s position due to the zoning adopted by the APC, that saw the Senate President position zoned to the South/South Geo-Political zone, thus effectively precluding the zoning of the Deputy Speakership position to same region, logical postulations were put forward by relevant stakeholders that it is only fair, natural and politically expedient that the APC, in her search for the 10th House of Representatives Leader need not beam her searchlight too far, but rather place the highly exalted position on the doorsteps of her ever glowing and hardworking star, Hon Prof Julius Ihonvbere who represents Owan Federal Constituency, Edo State.
The position of House Leader comes with very tasking, ingenuous and enormous responsibilities, being the bridge between the Executive ( Presidency ) and the Legislature in the overriding interest of the citizenry.
Putting the above into perspectives, Hon Prof Julius Ihonvbere aptly fits the bill, a peg most adequately placed.
Ihonvbere’s performance in the 9th Nigeria’s House of Representatives breathed wit and charm to the admiration of his colleagues across party and ideological divides and Nigerians from different shades and opinions. The ever passionate and cerebral Owan Rep brought to bear his immense experiences, exposure and erudism by making laudable legislative contributions at plenary, as an adept legislator with a passion for citizens and country through moving of several Motions and sponsorship of Bills that touches and prescribes good governance to the Nation at large.
In a manner suggestive of being prepared ahead for challenging and tasking leadership positions and engagements, Speaker of the 9th Assembly, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila at inception of that Assembly appointed Prof Julius Ihonvbere as Head of the House Adhoc Committee to review the House of Representatives Standing Rules. This regulates and guides the businesses of the House. Prof, as he is fondly called everywhere was also appointed to Chair the ad hoc Committee to Revise the Legislative Agenda and Develop a Workplan and Implementation Strategy after the COVID pandemic that ravaged the world.
These two documents, along with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria constitute the working document of the House. It is significant to add here that the two critical assignments entrusted on Hon Prof Julius Ihonvbere as a first termer in the House were hitherto, exclusively reserved for members that have done a minimum of two terms, otherwise regarded as ranking members.
A thorough bred and incredibly prolific Ihonvbere brought to bear his time tested inherent qualities and satisfactorily delivered on all assignments to the admiration of the Speaker and other members of the House of Representatives, a clear boost and justification of the tacit acknowledgement of his pedigree and huge knowledge base by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.
Prof Julius Ihonvbere ultimately got appointed in the 9th Assembly as Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education and Services, a Grade A Committee never envisioned for first termers in the House of Representatives. He did extremely well in the performance of his core duties, oversight and other associated functions and even on several occasions extended his services to the Tertiary Education Committee through his countless interventions in the resolution of ASUU crisis.
Now to the 10th House of Representatives, where he again caught the fancy and attraction of incumbent Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, who in recognition of the good job he did in the 9th Assembly, few weeks ago, barely 24 hours after his election as Speaker, saddled Prof Julius Ihonvbere with another onerous task of Leading the House Special Committee on Legislative Agenda for the 10th House of Representatives.
The secret of the confidence vote on Ihonvbere’s abilities by the new Speaker may not after all be far-fetched; Prof Julius Ihonvbere was the Chairman of the Tajudeen Abbas Speakership Agenda where he distinguished himself and ensured that the Tajudeen Abbas project saw the light of the day.
Because Ihonvbere believed in the APC’s choice of Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, the very versatile and hugely knowledgeable Owan Rep worked exceedingly hard towards seeing to the realization of the party’s project and the team’s success.
The Erudite Professor commands the undiluted attention and respect of his colleagues across party lines and ideological divides and this is because he has maintained a long term cordial and mutual relationship and interactions with them whilst also providing leadership when the it matters most.
He is experienced, exposed, he is hugely Academic and very Erudite yet remain so humble. Prof Julius Ihonvbere is urbane, dutiful, always forward looking and ever focused, an expert Policy Analyst, a true Patriot, a team player and above all, a goal-getter.
Therefore, creating the desirable and efficacious balance between the Executive and the Legislature by Prof Julius Ihonvbere as House Leader is a fait accompli without much Ado. One of the reasons for this is that the globally adored Owan Rep has experienced governance at the highest level be it at the Executive branch or in the Parliament and therefore is fully abreast with the workings of Government as an Institution. He is the most demonstrable reality of where ‘theory meets praxis’ in Governance.
In addition, he has worked very closely with the incumbent Chief-of-Staff to the President, Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and the COS has implicit confidence in his abilities.
As for the President, Ihonvbere understands the President’s body language at all times because, apart from the fact that they were together in exile in the NADECO struggles of the 90s, Prof Julius Ihonvbere was very close to the Tinubu Administration in Lagos on his return from exile and until his appointment as Special Adviser on Policy and Programmes Monitoring and also as Speech Writer by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003.
Flowing from the above, it is not surprising that Prof Julius Ihonvbere, OON, DSSRS, KSC has now emerged as Leader of the House of Representatives in the current 10th Assembly.
