Tunde Adebayo, Lokoja
Kogi House of Assembly has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently appoint a replacement for Late Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi (SAN).
This followed a resolution of the House at plenary session in Lokoja after the adoption of a Motion of Urgent Matter of Public Importance raised by Zakari Mohammed Osewu (APC-Kogi-KK) and Haruna Idoko-Musa (APC-Idah).
While presenting the motion, Osewu said the replacement was of utmost importance as it would enable adequate representation of the state at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
He said that the nomination of Ocholi among the 36 nominations made by the president in November, 2015 was based on quota system to reflect the true spirit of the Federal Character.
The lawmaker noted that Ocholi represented the state in Buhari’s cabinet until the cold hands of death snatched him away on March 6th along with his wife and son via a tragic highway auto crash.
Since the demise of the late SAN, Osewu said the state had not had any form of representation at the FEC meeting, adding that the death technically excised Kogi from the apex decision making body for over eight months now.
”It is the desire of the people of Kogi State whose views the state House of Assembly represent to see James Enejo Ocholi replaced by one of their sons”, he said.
Osewu also suggested that an open letter be written to President Buhari appealing to him to replace the late minister, Ocholi, immediately.
The motion was seconded by John Abah (PDP-Ibaji) and supported by Dr Friday Alih (PDP-Ofu) and Oluwatoyin Lawal (PDP-Yagba West) who opined that the replacement was long over-due.
The house Speaker, Alhaji Umar Imam adopted the motion following majority voice votes from members.
It would be recalled that the late Minister of State for Labour and productivity, James Ocholi died in fatal road crash along Kaduna- Abuja highway in March 2016 and his position has been left vacant since then.
