Eneh John
“Leaders who don’t listen, will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.” -Bill Carney
In my last article entitled, “Is Eket House Member, David Lawrence forbidden from holding constituency briefing?”
There have been reactions and counter reactions to my call for David Lawrence to brief the people of Ekid on his sojourn to the House of Assembly.
I had carefully avoided the inclusion of empowerment to my last article, so that people who may want to misunderstand me, will have nothing to say.
In my interaction with my House Member, David Lawrence, he had questioned the rationale upon which I was calling for a constituency briefing. For the records, I originate from Etebi Ikot Use Ekong, in Eket Central ward four. It is my exclusive right to demand for accountability on who represents me at all levels of governance. Where I am not pleased by their representation. Aside the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the freedom of information act(FOI) empowers me to demand for every information that relates to a public office holder. failure to provide me with the required information, there is a clear jailable term for such public disobedience to the law.
As stated above, David Lawrence not only owes me, but obligated to me to inform us on the bills and motions he has sponsored in the House of Assembly.
I don’t expect his supposed attack dogs to come after me, because, I will be a hard meat to be chewed.
If David Lawrence was in his house, I won’t go to him to come and render an account of stewardship on his activities. May I bring to the notice of the Eket House member, that the day he decided to seek public office to the House of Assembly, that day, he lost his rights as a private citizen, and gave himself up for public scrutiny.
I am publicly scrutinizing his activities from an unbiased point, because, he who goes to equity, must go with clean hands. Until such a time when he ceases to represent me, then I will not ask him certain questions anymore.
I want the House member to know that, he currently holds the mandate of the ekid people in trust. The day anyone from ekid decides to question his activities, he should be ready to provide answers to those queries.
Holding a public office does not confer on you immunity from being questioned on your activities as a public office holder.
People should not see themselves as demigods when they get to power. The difference between you in the House of Assembly and the other who is yet to be there, is a time process.
I speak for the thousands of ekid people, whom David Lawrence cannot speak for. It is a genuine call for constituency briefing, that the poor men and women in the village will not reach him to make the call.
He should rather embrace this call, as one of the challenges in leadership which he subscribed to. I expect that the Lawmaker will hearken to the call to brief his people and not be antagonistic to it. I have over the years represented the voice of the downtrodden, whose hopes were dashed. Needless to compare him with his colleagues in the House of Assembly, because, every man must run his race. They were not on a joint ticket to the Assembly.
Let David Lawrence set a pace in the House for others to emulate. In his almost three years in the Assembly, that robust legislative prowess have been lacking. If in 2015, we couldn’t get it right with him, then instead of giving up, we will continue to ask him to live to expectations. But in the case where David walks his way through and does not brief us on his legislative journey, then 2019 provides another opportunity for us to get it right.
The person who must represent Eket from 2019, must be willing to serve the people not himself.
May I also let David Lawrence understand that, it is with an open heart that I write this memo again to him. You have an opportunity to rewrite history and place your name in the sands of time. If others couldn’t do, does not mean you cannot do it.
Here is a golden chance before you, conduct a constituency briefing and let history remember you for good.
My right to good governance can never be infringed upon. Our demand for a constituency briefing will not end, until you bow to wishes of the people.
A good Leader must always listen to the voice of the people. Just as Bill Carney had posited, “Leaders who don’t listen, will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say.”
Eneh John is an Indigene of Etebi Ikot Use Ekong, in Eket Local Government Area and Editor, Trail Reporters News.
Email: enehjohn33@gmail.com
