ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES
It was appositely billed to be a rain of good cheers for the people of Ideato Federal Constituency as the first-term but ebullient representative had already set that day apart for yet another leg of his many empowerment schemes for the people of our constituency. Before that day, the former university don and principal secretary had joined the exclusive league of the few performing representatives in Nigeria’s suspicion laden National legislature. Even the heavy downpour could not disrupt the event, even though it succeeded in stopping the cameras from clicking. People went home with cars, motorcycles, cash and several SME tools that would make hundreds of its beneficiaries fully self-reliant and contribute to wealth creation and job provision in Ideato federal constituency and Imo State in general.
For a man who has spent less than two years in the National Assembly, the optometrist has shown such efficiency that any true commentator wouldn’t but give him deserving credit for having used the best eye glasses to study the books on democratic representation and diligently, amidst distractions from political hawks, petition writers, cynics and litigants, focused on providing one of the best representations that the people of Ideato have witnessed in a long time.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives committee on Health institutions has set out not to be the kind of representative every other house member has been, but to be that representative that truly represents the people, by listening to them, talking with them and feeling their pulse. This explains why he has one of the most active constituency offices in the Southeast. Unlike in the past, when constituency offices were mostly set up in order to fulfill all righteousness, Hon. Obi’s Constituency office is always open, and perfectly run by some of the best legislative aides you could get anywhere.
Because ours, is a bad imitation of democracy, many of us have been bold in advertising our ignorance of whom a legislator should be. Like, Professor Lumumba observed a few months ago when he was a guest speaker in an event by the Nigerian House of Representatives; the average Nigerian’s idea of a competent legislator is that one who attends every funeral, wedding ceremonies and sponsors social jamborees of some constituents. While, this is not out of place, considering that as Africans, we place higher premium on social events than political correctness and informed political participation, but we would be giving ourselves the wrong edge of political bargains if we set a representative’s performance mark on his social vibrancy or otherwise.
For the benefit who may be innocently ignorant of what qualities are expected of a legislator to qualify him or her as competent. Fundamentally, the legislator is the closest representative of the people in a government and is therefore expected to be the voice of the people, by advancing the interests of the people through making laws and protecting their rights by contributing to motions that affect them and also striving to meet their needs by presenting same to be captured in national budgets, to be executed by the executive arm of government and their agents.
In the last eighteen months since he was inaugurated as a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives, Dr. Pascal Obi has strived to live up to these expectations and even more. He has sponsored bills that directly impact on his constituents and Nigerians in general, he has attracted development to his constituents, he has used his position to bring ‘permanent’ empowerment to his people, especially, young graduates, by making recommendations for a number of them to be employed by federal agencies. He has been the loudest of the voices that Ideato has had in the green chamber in a long time.
Ugwumsinachi as his chieftaincy title aptly is, has done so much for a legislator of his standing that it would be tough call, highlighting these achievements in a single outing. One would require more than just an essay to put across the many achievements of the Green Chambers star boy. Maybe, a serialized essay would provide the right peep into the achievements of this great leader . At this time, the focus is on the mother of all empowerments, which he successfully carried out on the 14th of December, and which its news continue to resonate across the country.
Unlike most politicians who only remember their constituents when elections are around the corner, Chief Pascal Obi keeps regular touch with his people, because he understands that they are the reasons he is in the House of Representatives in the first place. He does not see the end of one election as the beginning of another electoral contest, but as a new window to serve the people and reward them for reposing their confidence in you.
As one of the critical leaders in Ideato politics, Hon. Mrs. Josephine Udoji rightly pointed out during the recent empowerment outing by Chief Obi ; “Ideato people have not had it so good, and we are happy with how much he has done for us within a very short time in office.”
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