@TheKELVINATOR, URGES ABIA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY TO FAST-TRACK RENT CONTROL BILL TO CURB EXPLOITATIVE LANDLORDS IN ABIA

As the Abia State House of Assembly continues its deliberations on crucial legislative matters affecting the welfare of residents, concerned citizens have begun to lend their voices in support of the ongoing Real Estate and Tenancy Bills currently before the House. Among them, social commentator and public affairs analyst, @TheKELVINATOR, has passionately called on the Abia State House of Assembly to fast-track the passage of the Real Estate Regulatory Bill (H.A.B. 34), particularly Section 5.3(d), which seeks to “checkmate the incessant and arbitrary increment of house and shop rents by landlords and their agents within Abia State.”

During the plenary session held on October 7, 2025, the House considered two landmark bills — the Abia State Landlord and Tenants Bill (H.A.B. 36) sponsored by Rt. Hon. Mandela Obasi representing Ohafia North, and the Abia State Real Estate Regulatory Bill (H.A.B. 34), sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Augustine Okezie. Both bills, when passed, promise to sanitize the real estate sector, protect tenants from exploitation, and position Abia as a preferred destination for real estate investment.

TheKELVINATOR, in a strongly worded statement, lauded the foresight of the House and the commitment of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, whose administration’s massive infrastructural transformation, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state is rapidly restoring the city’s lost glory.

However, he cautioned that these laudable efforts should not become an excuse for landlords to exploit tenants through unjustifiable rent hikes.

According to him, “Governor Otti’s urban renewal and aggressive road infrastructure drive are aimed at reviving the economy and attracting investments, not to trigger a wave of hardship on ordinary citizens through rent extortion. The vision is to make Aba and the entire Abia State a safe, attractive, and affordable haven for residents, investors, and those relocating back home not a city where landlords see development as a reason to double or triple rents.”

TheKELVINATOR further appealed to the House Committee on Lands and Housing, which has been mandated to conduct a public hearing on the bill, to ensure that the voices of the people, particularly tenants, small business owners, and artisans are heard and reflected in the final draft of the law. He emphasized that the bill must prioritize the protection of residents and economic balance between property owners and tenants.

In his words, “Development without social protection breeds inequality. As Aba’s roads are being reconstructed and its economy revived, let us not create a new class of homelessness through exploitative rent practices. This is the time for the House to act decisively and give legislative backing to fair housing practices that align with the Governor’s people-centered vision.”

TheKELVINATOR also urged Abians to remain resilient and patient as the House progresses with the bill, expressing confidence that once passed and assented to by Governor Otti, it would usher in a new era of transparency, accountability, and fairness in the state’s housing sector.

“Let the House of Assembly fast-track this bill. Let landlords understand that fairness is part of development. And let every Abian, whether tenant or landlord embrace a sense of social responsibility as we rebuild our beloved state,” TheKELVINATOR concluded.

With the bill now committed to the House Committee on Lands and Housing for further legislative action, citizens across Abia eagerly await the passage of what may become one of the most people-oriented laws in the state’s recent history, a bold step toward ensuring affordable living, fair rents, and a sustainable real estate environment in the new Abia envisioned by Governor Alex Chioma Otti.