The Member representing Anambra East and West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chief Chinedu Obidigwe has attributed the inability of many members of the 8th National Assembly to win reelection to the fact that they lost touch with their people at the grassroots.
Obidigwe was speaking at Aguleri over the weekend, when he empowered seven of his constituents with appointments as his Special Assistants on Traditional Music and Light Entertainment and Inter-Party and Social Orientation.
The Federal lawmaker who maintained that representation is all about the people, regretted how some politicians abandon their people immediately they win elections, widening the gap between them and their constituents.
According to him, this development makes for distrust, poor communication and misrepresentation and is a major factor driving Nigeria’s backwardness in politics and governance.
“Whatever any Federal lawmaker does at the national level must have a positive bearing on the yearnings and aspirations of their various constituents across the country. That is the beauty of democracy; where representatives commune constantly with their people and be able to bring up their issues to the front burner in national discourse.
“This was the greatest undoing of some of the members of the 8th National Assembly who eventually were not able to return to the 9th Assembly because they forgot their base when they went to Abuja. We must as Federal legislators, devise a means of maintaining constant rapport with those constituents who we feel are not up to our standards because we have ascended positions of authority. They are the ones who made us representatives and we shouldn’t be so quick to despise them,” Obidigwe said.
He explained that the appointments which were more for traditional musicians, were to encourage them to continue to distinguish themselves in their chosen areas of endeavour.
This he noted, will not only go a long way to improve their living condition, but also encourage the younger generation to deemphasize negativity and work towards developing their god-given talents for the benefit of humanity.
In his words, “the appointment is just to encourage them and the younger ones to use whatever positive venture they are into, to add value to the society. Anambra East and West is known to possess some of the best traditional musicians in the state and these talents shouldn’t be in vain. We have to encourage them and ensure that other upcoming ones are encouraged to be at their best in what they are doing. For me, it is part of giving back to the society that gave so much to me. I am just one of the very lowly youths who grew up from the grassroots, through the ranks to this high level in the society. So, I would not want to be seen as having forgotten my roots. I know my people and their needs and that is why I have decided that whatever I get as a Federal lawmaker, I share with my constituents.”
Prince Cater Nnaemeka from Enugwu-Otu Aguleri, who was appointed as Special Assistant to Hon Obidigwe on Inter-Party and Social Orientation, said what the Federal Lawmaker has done is highly commendable and worthy of emulation by his other contemporaries.
“Chinedu Obidigwe has distinguished himself as a humane leader. Before he went to the National Assembly, he promised to empower our people within three months of his getting to the Green Chambers. It is on record that within the said time, he did a massive empowerment that reechoed all over Anambra State and we are grateful to God for this rare gift of a humane leader,” he opined.
On his part, a traditional musician from Umueri, Chibuzor Anekwe who was appointed Special Assistant on Traditional Music and Light Entertainment, acknowledged that since the history of representation in the area, nobody has remembered the very common people like Hon Obidigwe.
“Since we started sending people to Abuja, we have not seen someone like Hon Obidigwe with the kind of heart he has. We are not surprised either because he has done this all his life. All I am asking is that God will take him higher because he has by this gesture brought me out of hunger into plenty. I didn’t do any special thing for him but he sought me out and blessed me with this appointment. With this appointment and the monthly stipend that comes with it, I will be able to take care of my responsibilities as a man effectively,” he noted.
