Sunday, February 05, 2012
   
TEXT_SIZE

The Legislative

Membership:
The first House was made up of 24 members representing 24 Constituencies in the state. Out of these, 23 were male and only one was female. The membership was spread among three political parties, namely people Democratic party (PDP), All Nigerian Party (ANPP), formerly All people party (APP), and Alliance for Democracy (AD). PDP was in the Majority with 15 Member; while ANPP and AD formed the minority with 6 and 3 members respectively ( see full membership list for details).

Leadership:
The leadership of the First Assembly was made up of Rt. Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP) Ekeremor Constituency 11 as speaker and twelve (12) others. The first assembly had two (2) speakers in all, viz Heineken Lokpobiri and Peremobowei Ebebi. Mr Ebi Domo spiff was the first clerk of the house, and was later replaced by Elder P. K. George.
The Second Bayelsa state house of assembly: This covered the period of June 2, 2003 to June 2, 2007; and was constituted on June 2, 2003 at the assembly complex, Yenagoa

Membership
:
The second Assembly was made up of 24 members, all male representing 24 constituencies in the state. Twenty three (23) out of the twenty four (24) members of the second assembly were of the PDP, while one was of the AD. The latter edged out his opponent, who was of the PDP,   at the election petitions tribunal. He however later defected to the PDP.

Leadership
:
The second Assembly was headed by Rt Hon. Boyelayefa Debekeme (PDP) Ekeremor 11, as Speaker, with five other principal officers as the House Leadership (see Membership list for details)
The second Assembly had three (3) Speakers in all namely, Boyelayefa Debekeme, Peremobowei Ebebi and Werinipre seibarugu. The second speaker in the 1ST and 2ND Assemblies, Rt. Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi later resigned as speaker of the House, following his nomination as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state, after the house impeached the first Governor of the state Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha (JP); and his Deputy Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as Executive Governor.

The Third Bayelsa State House of Assembly
:
This covers the period June 4, 2007 – June 4, 2011. It was constituted on June 4, 2007 in the Assembly Complex, Yenagoa.

Membership
:
The third Assembly is currently made up of 24 members, (23 male and 1 female) representing 24 state constituencies. It is an all PDP house. See Membership list

Leadership
:
The Third Assembly is presently headed by Rt. Hon.Werinipre Seibarugu (Yenagoa II) as Speaker. He is being assisted by 5 other House Officers, selected from among members of the house. (See list for details).

Speakers Of The House


First Assembly (1999-2003)

1.    Rt. Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri (Ekeremor II)   June 1999-May 2001
2.    Rt. Hon Peremobowei Ebebi (Ekeremor I)     June 2001- June 2003

2nd Assembly (2003- 2005)

1)    Rt. Hon. Boyelayefa Debekeme (Ekeremor I)  June 2003-NOV. 14, 2005
2)    Rt. Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi (Ekeremor I)     NOV 14,-2005-DEC.29,2005
3)    Rt. Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu (Yenagoa II)  Dec. 29, 2005- June 4, 2007

3rd Assembly (2007-2011)

1)    Rt. Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu (Yenagoa II)     June 4, 2007- Jul 2010
2)

Deputy Speakers Of The House


First Assembly:
1)    Hon. Ayebaesin Edoghotu (Nembe III)     June 1999-May 2001
2)    Hon. Jephthah Foingha (Nembe II)    June 2001-June2003

2nd Asssembly
1)    Hon. Jephthah Foingha (Nembe II)    June 2003-Nov. 14, 2005
2)    Hon. Bright Nixon Erewari- Pudienyo(Nembe I)    Nov.14, 2005- June 2007.

3rd Assembly
1)    Hon. Nestor Binabo (Sagbama II)     June 4, 2007- Date

Clerks of The House
2)    Ebi Domo- Spiff (ESQ)    June 1999-May 2001
3)    Elder Peter Koru George    May 2001 –Date
2.    Duties Of The Legislature

The House of assembly of a state has power to perform several functions, some of which include:
-    Law-making for the good governance of the state
-    Passing of resolutions on matters of public concern
-    Exercise of oversight function for the ministries and departments of government
to ensure strict adherence and compliance to the laws, polices and directives of government.
-    Confirmation of appointments into executive and judicial positions.


Of all the duties of the legislature, the most exclusive and fundamental is the power to make laws. No organization or institution can function effectively without rules, regulations and laws. And charged with the responsibility of making these laws for smooth running of the states in the Nigerian federation are the houses of the assembly of the states, and the national assembly at the national level.

Past Legislative Activities Of The Bayelsa State House Of Assembly
Since the commencement of the present democratic dispensation, which   ushered in the Bayelsa state House of Assembly on June 2, 1999, the house has been active in the business of making laws, passing resolutions among others for the good governance of the state.
As noted earlier, the state legislature has had three assemblies so far, the third of which is in its first session.

A.    Laws passed by the House
In the first Assembly, a total of 80 bills were received by the house (70 from Government and 10 from private members). Out of these 33 were passed into law.

In the second Assembly, the house considered a total of 58 bills, out of which 43 were passed into law. Among the number, 44 were government or Executive bills and 14 privately sponsored.
Whereas a total of 8 bills were received by the house since 1999 to 146, (119 -Government and 3 private). And the total number of bills passed so far now stands at 78.

Notable among the bills passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly from 1999 to date are as following:
•    Local Government  Creation law, 1999
•    Local Government  Administration law, 2000
•    Niger Delta University Law, 2000
•    State High Court (Amendation) Law,2001
•    College Of Arts and Science Law, 2002
•    State public Service  Pensions Law, 2003
•    State Independent Electoral Commission law, 2004
•    State Magistrate courts (Amendment) Law, 2004
•    State College of Health Technology law, 2004
•    State Rural Development Authority Creation Law, 2006.
These Law have in one way or the other contributed greatly to the social, political and economic development of Bayelsa state through the institutions they have brought into existence, and the attendant procedures expressly put in place.
Click Here for all the details of all the bills passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly from the commencement of the first Assembly to date:

User Login