By Linus Aleke
It is heart breaking to know that the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Sen. Okechukwu Ezea, has practically nothing to show the constituents for his representation at the Senate in the past one year and still counting.
It is even more heart wrecking when his name enjoys prominent position amongst senators that had performed far below average in the 10th Senate.
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Recently, a prominent northern newspaper – Daily Trust, published an investigative report on the performance of each senator in the 10th Senate, and our own senator was mentioned among the senators that had not sponsored a single bill in the past one year.
According to the report, “Senators, who are yet to sponsor any bill within the period under review are Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Titus Tartenger Zam (Benue North West), Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South), Imasuen Neda Bernards (Edo South), Oluwole Fasuyi Cyril (Ekiti North), Okechukwu Ezea (Enugu North), Chukwu Chizoba (Enugu East), Kaila Samaila Dahuwa (Bauchi North), Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), Khabeeb Mustapha (Jigawa South West), Rufai Hanga (Kano Central), Abdulaziz Yar’adua (Katsina Central), Mohammed Dandutse Muntari (Katsina South), Peter Jiya (Niger South), Adegbonmire Adeniyi Ayodele (Ondo Central), Oyewumi Kamorudeen Olalere (Osun West), Pam Dachungyang (Plateau North), Onyesoh Allwell Heacho (Rivers East), Ibrahim Lamido (Sokoto East), Manu Haruna (Taraba Central) and Musa Mustapha (Yobe East). However, Ani, Dachungyang and Mustapha were inaugurated into the Senate at later dates”.
The report further revealed that the Senate Majority Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) sponsored 23 bills, which is the highest number of sponsored bills, within the period under review, while, the Deputy Senate President, Barau I. Jibrin (APC, Kano North) closely followed with 15 bills.
Continuing, the report also disclosed that amongst the former governors in the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu (APC-Abia North) has five bills to his name: the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023; the Armed Forces Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024; the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Agency Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
Regrettably, Enugu North has never had it this bad in contemporary times, especially, when it comes to representation at the National Assembly. This is the reason why Sen. Ezea must wake up to his responsibility, going forward.
Nevertheless, it is still early for Sen. Ezea, to remove the apron of self interest he had adorn himself with, and go down to work to satisfy the collective interest of good people of Enugu North Senatorial District.
While, the senator, may still have chance to salvage his seeming failure to fit into the shoes of those before him, the consensus among constituents today, is that his performance is convincingly poor.
It is on the premise of the above and the ungodly attempt by his media aides and “trade by barter supporters,” that hushed voices are telling the true story in their homes, palm wine and pork meat joints, as well as village squares across the six local government areas that constitute Enugu North Senatorial District.
A visibly angry constituent, Chijoke Asogwa, expressed bitter regret for ever supporting the incumbent senator during the last election.
“We were scammed, with campaign rhetorics that Okey Ezea was going to represent us very well at the Senate, but when he eventually won the election, he became the opposite of what he preached before the poll. We have never had it this bad. When I read the Daily Trust report on dormant senators who could not sponsor a single bill in one year and the name of Okey Ezea was conspicuous on the list, I was ashamed as a constituent who contributed to his emergence as a senator. It is very clear that we made a wrong choice. He was not prepared for the job at all.
“His media aides are also not helping matters as they are labouring to force down our throats, tissues of falsehood on the achievements of the senator within the period under review. Their greatest propaganda and blackmail tactics is that no constituents, including former law makers in the zone, understand the function of a law maker, except Okey Ezea and his media attack dogs. We would continue to ask questions no matter their insults and blackmail tactics”.
This is as, Mr. Okonkwo Alumona, a constituent and Labour Party faithful, said that it is too early to access the performance of the Senator.
He argued that the senator still have ample time to prove himself a worthy representative of the people at the Senate.
Mr. Alumona said: Our senator is a first time senator at the National Assembly. He needs time to understudy the system first before pushing for things in the right way. I am optimistic he is going to outperform those before him. We should just be patient with him”.
Meanwhile, an elderly constituent, Mrs. Nkwo Omeje, said that Senator Ezea, has no fear of God in him.
“They came here and told us that they are going to change things, but instead things are getting worse by the day. We learnt that the federal government approved palliative for the constituents, through the senators and those in House of Reps, but because it does not benefit them directly, they refused to follow up the matter. We are watching, and we will pay them back at the appropriate time. They will not stay there forever,” she lamented.
In conclusion therefore, if Sen. Ezea has the best of intentions for the good people of Enugu North as his media aides and Labour Party barter supporters, would want every constituents to believe, it would be safe to temporarily conclude that the green horn law maker, lacks the capacity to live up to the responsibility of his exulted office.
Aleke Writes from Abuja, and can be reached on [email protected]
