Eneh John
Almost two years after the 8th National assembly kick started, some members of the National assembly from Akwa Ibom extraction, have been more described than the word ‘docility.’
One name that is conspicuously missing from happenings in the state, is the member, representing Eket federal constituency in the House of Reps, Mrs. Owoidighe Ekpotai, who is more an Abuja base4d politician, than an Akwa Ibom Representative.
While the senator representing Eket senatorial district, Nelson Effiong, whose laziness in the senate I had often brought to the public, woke up and stunned many with a historic maritime university bill, Ekpotai has remained silent and relatively unknown, since her sojourn to the House.
It is appalling to also note that, in the business of representative docility, Ekpotai has not been alone, as the Eket house of Assembly member, David Lawrence, is also in the school of lazy representatives.
In Ekpotai’s sojourn, the only thing she has achieved was a motion she moved in the House of Reps last week,, summoning the Managing Director of Mobil, to appear in the house.
This, she publicized so well, like someone who won a FIFA world cup. Like the House of Assembly member, David Lawrence who sometimes visits Eket, Ekpotai has been too lost in the house of Reps to behold.
The idea of a constituency briefing in Ekpotai’s dictionary is far from reality, two years down the line. Men, women and children have not been touched, neither have they benefited from her stay in the house of Reps. the question remains, what can we point to, as her achievement(s) in the House? Why are the lawmakers from Eket weak in lawmaking and performance?
The past members who represented Eket Federal constituency were vibrant and heard. We recollect the legislative prowess and sagacity of Eseme Eyiboh, who dazzled the House of Reps with sterling qualities and updated his constituents on his activities in the House.
The likes of Chief Nduese Essien and Bassey Dan Abia were on hand to speak for the people of the constituency. But did anyone curse Eket with these set of new lawmakers?
Ekpotai, who is a woman, is fit for a recall from the house of Reps on account of non performance. Never have the people of the constituency been so backward in representation, like the present dispensation.
Despite the media holiday she has enjoyed, since her wasteful sojourn to the house, she has not deem it fit to return to her people and tender her stewardship.We live in a society, where performance is sacrificed on the altar of sentiments. People like Ekpotai is not fit for an elective position, talk less of going to the House of Representatives. Like the Bible records, that he who is faithful in little, will be faithful in all, but has she as a Christian been faithful in the position Akpabio singlehandedly handed to her? it is time to beam the searchlight on her activities in the hallowed chambers.
This is the singular reason why some of them are lost politically after their tenure. What does the future hold for Ekpotai and her non performance?
Like a lost sheep, she has continued to journey in the House of Reps without direction. walking into political wilderness and oblivion with a lazy attitude in the House towards legislation. Never has she been accountable to the people she is representing. Are they no good Advisers in Eket Federal Constituency to advise her?
We will remain as watchdogs to the society, and checkmate the activities of every non-performing and lazy lawmaker in Eket. For how long will we have these set of lawmakers continue to waste our chances of effective representation? Only time will tell.
A REPUTATION FOUNDED ON INTEGRITY, MUST BE NURTURED BY TRUTH.
Eneh John is an Investigative Journalist and Human Rights Activist, Editor of Trail Reporters News.
