CANDIDATE of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the forthcoming November 6, governorship election in Anambra, Andy Uba, says he sponsored the Prison Reform Bill.
He made the claim while reacting to assertions by the governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) Charles Soludo, during a live debate organised by Arise TV and Enough is Enough (EiE) group.
Soludo had accused Uba of being docile on issues relating to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and agitations of the southeast people.
THE CLAIM
Andy Uba sponsored the Prison Reform Bill
THE FINDING
The FactCheckHub found that Uba’s claim is true.
In 2011, Andy Uba contested for the seat of Anambra South Senatorial District under the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP).
He was later declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after an initial legal tussle.
Aside from being a lawmaker in the 7th National Assembly, he also represented his constituent in the 8th Assembly. He was former Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior.
In August 2019, he told the media in an interview why he sponsored the bill which later changed the Nigerian Prisons Service to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).
“The bill also empowers the State Comptroller of Prisons to reject additional prisoners where the prison in question is already filled to capacity.
“As the new name suggests, more emphasis will now be placed on correcting inmates through various skills acquisition programs such as tailoring, shoemaking, carpentry, computer engineering among others,” he stated in the interview.
A list of other bills sponsored and co-sponsored by the lawmaker can be found here.
The bill was later signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in September 2019.
THE VERDICT
Based on the available findings, Andy Uba sponsored the Prison Reform Bill. Therefore, the claim is TRUE.
