Parliament Spotlight: Titus Tyoapine Uba | Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly

Parliament Spotlight this week is in continuation of our Governorship series; as we profile gubernatorial candidates of the major parties attempting a switch from the hallowed chamber to their State Government House

 

Titus Tyoapine Uba, 57, is the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and is on the radar this week.

From being a Chief Whip in his first term as member representing Vandeikya-Kyan State Constituency, to becoming Speaker of the State Assembly, all within four years. He is currently poised to occupy the number one seat at the Benue Government House.

Here’s all we know about the lawmaker: 

LEGISLATIVE PROFILE

• Member representing Vandeikya-Kyan State Constituency (2015 – 2019)
  Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)

• Chief Whip (2015 -2018)
  8th Benue State House of Assembly

• Speaker (August 2018 – June 2019)
  8th Benue State House of Assembly

• Member representing Kyan (Vandeikya) State Constituency (2019 – date)
  Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)

• Speaker (June 2019 – date)         
  9th Benue State House of Assembly

  READ ALSO: Parliament Spotlight: Olubunmi Adelugba | Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly
  

 

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS (LEGISLATURE)

• Uba, a first-term lawmaker, was elected Speaker after the impeachment of the former Speaker of the Assembly, Terkimbi Ikyange.

• As Speaker of the 8th Benue Assembly, the legislature under Uba passed 48 bills into law (46 Executive Bills as well as 12 Private and member bills). 

• 45 of the aforementioned bills were assented to by the governor. 

• Notable bills assented to include:

• Fiscal Responsibility Bill (FRB); a major requirement for accessing financial support from development partners.

• Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAAP) Bill prohibiting violence on People with Disabilities (PWDs). 

• Benue State Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Bill

• Cultism, Kidnapping and Hostage Act 

• Administration of Criminal Justice Law

MAJOR CONTROVERSIES

• Uba and his colleagues were accused of receiving inducement from the Governor to impeach the erstwhile Speaker; an allegation he described as untrue.

• Uba emerged as Speaker in August 2018 under controversial circumstances after the majority (13 PDP lawmakers) conceded the speakership to the minority (9) at the impeachment of the erstwhile Speaker.

• A former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he defected to the PDP and thereafter sent the remaining 8 members of the APC on suspension.

• In the early days of his Speakership, the State High Court restrained him and his colleagues from sitting in the Assembly complex and they resorted to sitting elsewhere within the confines of the state.

• He had argued that it was constitutionally permissible to sit anywhere in the state and even adopt a biro as an alternative mace.

  READ ALSO: Parliament Spotlight: Sheriff Oborevwori | Speaker, Delta House of Assembly
  

 

POLITICAL PROFILE (ELECTIVE)

• Benue State Gubernatorial Candidate (2022)
  Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT

• Uba defeated the current deputy governor, Benson Abounu and other contestants to pick the PDP ticket in a keenly-contested election.

 MAJOR CONTROVERSIES 

• Allegations have been levelled against the PDP Governorship Candidate that he doesn’t possess the requisite qualification to vie for the state’s governorship position.

• Uba’s emergence as the PDP Governorship candidate is said to have frustrated the age-long clamour for the Idoma Nation; one of the largest ethnic groups in the state, to produce a governor 

• Uba was absent at public functions and the state in general for weeks provoking apprehension about his health ahead of the 2023 Governorship elections.

• The PDP Governorship candidate, however, said in a viral video that he took time to attend to his health, thanking Governor Samuel Ortom for his prompt intervention in ensuring he received the best medical attention.