What are the priority areas of your
legislative agenda as regards law making and infrastructural projects?
During
my election campaign, I made quite a number of promises to my people regarding
infrastructural development due to the fact that there is a glaring need to
site critical projects in my constituency to ensure that the people’s welfare
and well being are taken to the next level. These critical infrastructure is
needed in the area of rural electrification, provision of water boreholes and
good road networks. We need access roads to the villages so that farmers can
bring their farm produce easily to the market without undue stress bearing in
mind that the vast majority of my constituents are farmers. So one of my main
priorities is the construction of internal roads to the hinterland to make the movement
of people, goods, farm produce and animals to the commecial centres faster and
more convenient in order to boost economic activity in my area.
As
for the law making aspect, I believe that far more important than the enactment
and amendment of laws is the implementation and enforcement of our laws and the
Nigerian constitution. We already have quite a number of laws in this country
but you find out that very few agencies of government obey those laws which are
meant to protect the common man. However if those laws are implemented to the letter,
the country will be far better off. So my main priority is to make sure that
our existing laws are implemented to the letter and any individual or agency
that fails to follow the law should be duly sanctioned.
How do you assess the efforts made so
far by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara to reconcile the various factions in
the House?
It
is indeed a welcome develoment because when there is peace there is unity and I
believe the whole House has come together in the last 2 weeks bringing all the
various rival factions to work in harmony, co-operation and mutual dialogue in
order to move the nation forward. The present atmosphere of peace and fraternity
is a welcome development that must be appreciated by all right thinking
Nigerians as no progress or development can be achieved in an atmosphere of
rancour, bitterness or acrimony. Also, it will help the House to carry out
their daily legislative business as well as assure Nigerians that the House is
indeed committed to the progress of the nation and its citizens. As I said it
is a welcome development and I am sure it will continue for a long time to come
and also help in advancing the unity and peace of the country at large.
The executive governor of Ebonyi State,
Engr. Dave Umahi will soon be marking his 100 days in office, how do you assess
his performances so far?
I
feel that the first 100 days in office
of any leader is not enough for such a leader to achieve a lot, rather it
allows that leader to study the terrain, analyse inherent challenges in
governance and set the pace and direction of government in order to fast track
social, economic and infrastructural development for the betterment of the
welfare of the people. Indeed his excellency, Engr. Dave Umahi has studied the
terrain meticulously and he has started to perform wonders, for the first time
in history, an express flyover is being constructed in the state, numerous construction
projects are on going and any second time visitor to Ebonyi will tell you that
there is a great difference between the old and new Ebonyi State. The governor
is embarking on cleaning up Ebonyi State and it has assumed a new look, very
neat and sparkling unlike the heaps of refuse and garbage of the past. Without
doubt, our able and dynamic govenror has hit the ground running and we believe
that the best is yet to come.
The PDP has been saying that will it
support the present anti-corruption war by the Buhari administration, as far as
the war is holistic and not selective, can you elaborate further?
Actually,
what my party the, PDP has said and which I totally agree with, is that we
support the present anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and
are willing to co-operate with him so long as it is holistic and not a
selective witchunt targeted against a particular party or group of individuals.
As a lawmaker, I am fully behind the anti-corruption war being waged by Mr.
President and when he said he will probe the Jonathan administration, I said
O.K. fine, do it but also extend the probe to all past administrations not just
Jonathan’s administration. So if Buhari
probes all other past administrations, that is a welcome development and we
will support him but if he is selective and is only out to witchunt a
particular administration, party or group of persons, this mouth will not shut
up or keep quiet. They will hear my voice. Thank you.
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