By Jimitota Onoyume, Assistant News Editor

A leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta state and House of Representatives hopeful for Bomadi – Patani federal constituency, Dr Chief Chris Ekiyor has assured people of his constituency of efficient representation that would attract meaningful human and capital development to the constituency.

Ekiyor, who is a successful medical practitioner said he would redress the challenges of poverty , medi care , quality education and allied issues plaguing the area when elected to represent the Bomadi Patani federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

” Our constituency is poor . We need to address this challenge of poverty in the area.We need to develop our strength. Our people are predominantly farmers. Our fishing industry for instance can be properly funded to achieve greater results. We have sand mining going on here that can be taken to a higher commercial level for the good of the nation . Investors can be brought in to invest in our glass sand.

Patani and Bomadi federal constituency is the most peaceful area in the Niger Delta region. Investors have no fear of coming here . With proper legislative engagement we can attract more for our people, bring good roads connecting the areas, the zonal hospital in Bomadi and others need an upgrade . Electricity is a challenge even though we have all the lines connected to the power grid. Our schools also need attention.

“We can get interventionist agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, the South South Regional Development Commission , SSDC, and other similar regional bodies , Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs – offices, federal ministries to partner with the state government to address development goals in our constituency.

“How legislators follow up in the system to attract development to their area is what matters. A National Assembly member should play the politics to access the governor , Mr President, for development of his or her constituency.

“See our healthcare system , we need more attention. Nothing should stop the area from getting a federal medical centre.

“I will have functional constituency offices in Patani and Bomadi . And I will be in touch with my people “, he said.

Ekiyor recalled his impactful records as president IYC, Transition committee Chairman Patani local government area and Commissioner in the Delta state Ministry of Commerce.

“I have been national president of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC. Today’s Niger Delta economy is resting on multi billion dollars because of our strategic approach in leadership to the Niger Delta question as leaders of IYC. At the time we came in , the region was burning. There was conflict . The military was after youths as militants. The same people the government was after are the heroes of today, protecting the oil and gas facilities for the country. The region is now making money for the government . We record more barrels of daily crude oil production, (bdp) in our country.

“Niger Deltans are now in the oil and gas business themselves. As leaders of the IYC we changed the ugly narrative we met with our non violence advocacy. We set the template the nation is enjoying today. The country is transforming , we have more oil and gas in our communities now due to the peace advocacy we maintained in IYC . That single policy of non violence campaign we drove brought the gains we enjoy now in the country.

“I was in IYC for three years, a Commissioner in the state’s Ministry of Commerce for six months , Transition committee Chairman Patani local government area, two years. My achievements are there for all to see.

“I am a grassroots politician. I am always home. As Chairman Patani local government I was in the local government and stayed with my people . I operated from my residence.

” I bring to the table intellectual capacity, openness, transparency, accessibility. There is so much you can do for your people with just political lobbying . A legislator should complement the effort of the governor to do more . The kind of legislative representation I bring is one that can bring development, navigate the system for the good of the people “, he said.

He also said in the spirit of power rotation it would be fair for the House of Representatives seat to be occupied by one from Patani local government . Hon Nicholas Mutu , from Bomadi local government has been there for 27 years now, since 1999.

“I think by 2027 there should be a new entrant into the House of Representatives. The constituency belongs to two brothers Patani local government and Bomadi local government. Hon Mutu is from a community in Bomadi. He has been there since 1999.I think that it is time Hon Mutu supported a Patani son.

“One of the aspirants from Patani has also done 27 years so far in the state government . He has been Speaker, Deputy speaker, Commissioner, Special Adviser, all these since 1999. He should also hold a fresh hand for the House of Representatives seat for the Bomadi-Patani federal constituency seat “, he added.

Ekiyor recalled that he first ran for the same position in 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria,ACN, one of the political parties that merged to form the APC. He said he was in court challenging the result of that keenly contested election with Hon Nichola Mutu , when former president Goodluck Jonathan advised him to withdraw the matter from the court. He further emphasized that he never took a dime as compensation from anyone after withdrawing the suit.

” In 2011 when I left office as IYC president I took a shot for the National Assembly, specifically the Bomadi Patani federal constituency seat. The people came to me that they needed one who can speak truth to power , advocate for the right policies that can work. I ran on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

I ran against our brother Hon Nicholas Mutu who then had done 12 years. 12 years is a good time to make the necessary impact. I put on record that I just wanted Ijaw to succeed so when I dragged the outcome of the election to court and President Goodluck Jonathan stepped in that I should withdraw the matter I did for the sake of Ijaw nation . I did not collect a dime to withdraw the case, I put it on record “, he stressed.