…says people ‘re tired of PDP want APC to take over power in 2023

...adds Abia Central constituents want him in Senate

By Levinus Nwabughiogu-Abuja

Hon. Sam Onuigbo represents Umuahia South/Umuahia North/Ikwuano Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives. He’s better known for sponsoring the Climate Change bill which has since become an act. He speaks to Sunday Vanguard on the political intrigues in Abia, saying that zoning has not helped the State in almost 24 years of PDP reign.

You’ve been in the House of Representatives for 7 years now. What would you says are the landmark achievements, significant contributions you’ve made touching the lives of your constituents and then Nigeria in general through legislative functions?

Well, legislation and representation, you know, are the key functions of a legislator: Law making, oversight and representation. So if you put all these three into one, that is why I said when I was elected that I was going to represent them based on the acronym EAR, that is effectiveness, accessibility and responsiveness, all rolled into one, that was what I promised them. And I have really performed these things outstandingly in that I have records to show that in terms of legislation, I have been able to sponsor landmark bills.

I sponsored the bill on climate change which today has become an Act of the national assembly after it was assented to by Mr. President. Do not forget that this bill has suffered a lot of setbacks beginning from the 6th, 7th and 8th assembly when I chaired the House Committee on Climate Change but it was in this 9th assembly when I re-sponsored the bill that by the grace of God, we followed it through with wider consultations and of course, Mr. President was gracious enough to sign it into law.

I also sponsored the coat of arms and flag act, trying to stop the destruction of the national flag because today, to a large extent, just even the other day when one of the parties had it’s national convention, those who said they were the youth groups came with a deconstructed Nigeria flag with the coat of arms on it and it is a huge embarrassment that you now begin to wonder that a nation like Nigeria has two flags at the same time? No, a nation has only one flag and the Nigerian flag is green white green without any superimposition.

So, that is why when we look at even the governors, the ministers, members of the House and some other persons, when you see them seated and they put the Nigerian flag by their side, you will see the superimposition with the coat of arms, and you are wondering if this is the Nigerian flag. Why is it different from the flag at the United Nations, the flag at ECOWAS and the flag at other international organisations?

It means there is something wrong and it is affecting young people who are coming up from the primary school because even some of them, their teachers don’t even know the difference. That is why I sponsored that bill and I am going to follow it through by the grace of God until that amendment is achieved. There are so many other ones.

Then, in terms of infrastructural developments, yes, it is not a legislative function but this is a developing economy and therefore as a developing country, you have to do those things that have the potentials to help your constituents to have a new feel, a better feel of life otherwise if you restrict yourself just to legislation alone, they would be probably be wondering why you went to Abuja. So, I have been able to facilitate major erosion control works one at Amankwo ezeleke in Umuopara clan of Umuahia south.

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Another one at Okwe, between Okwe and Obohio, that is in Ikwuano and these two major erosion control works were successfully executed and commissioned by ministers that represented Mr President. The one at Amankwo ezeleke was commissioned by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri when he was the minister for state for agriculture. And the one at Okwe was commissioned by Prof. Eta when he was minister of state for Niger Delta development.

So, these were major erosion control works and I am still working on other ones that I have managed to pay for the survey plan, engineering works well because you know my federal constituency has well over 43 active erosion sites as we speak today.

My village alone has 6. So, we will continue to do all these things and move them forward. Then, the road from Umuahia to Ikot-Ekpene, that is Umuahia-Ukwani-Ikot-Ekpene federal road, I have started working on that road. I moved the motion on this road far back May 21, 2016 and from then till now, I have been pursuing that road. But I am happy to say that fortunately after the road was awarded the first time but paucity of fund stalled it.

I was able to work with the ministry of works and the road was eventually transferred to the NNPC road task credit scheme and the contractors have gone back to site and they are working now, that is 50km road and it is going to cost the federal government 13.2billion naira to execute. I have also been able to do major skills acquisition centres, one at Apumiri Ubakala and it is costing over 120million naira and it is at the completion stage.

Then, I have done blocks of classrooms that I facilitated both at Umuajata Olokoro, Umujoto Olkoro, Nsirimo Ubalaka, Adanma Girls Secondary School at Ohuhu, Afugiri Ohuhu clan. That school in Ekemedi touches my heart because after it was constructed 72 years ago, I was the only person that came there and did something. I am also doing another one at Amaba and then we have another school that I facilitated at Umulu, Abamaisi also in Oboro, Ekemedi is in Oboro, Umulu is in Ibere.

Then I have also done hospitals. I did one in Obohio Ibere. I did another one from foundation, the one in Obohio Ibere was restoration, the one in Oloku is from foundation to completion. And by the grace of God, I have also done or facilitated major electricity projects in places like Oponikpa in Ariama Usaka, Noro in also in Oboro, another one in Obohio Ibere, Udoru Oboro, Abama Olokoro, Amaeke Ibeku, Amake junction in Ibeku, that is around Okata. And another also in Umuagu Ngolori, and then, another one at world bar, another one at Isi Court. So, many things like that.

By the grace of God, I am also the one who facilitated old Umuahia road going to Amakama in Olokoro, that one is nearing completion. It is about 80% completed and so many other things. Then, in terms of empowerment, I was able to do empowerment in different areas but particular one now that is really making everybody happy is the one I did in poultry where we provided galvanized cages, gave them N30,000, chicks at the point of lay, and then feed. The good news is that today, most of the people who got that, I did that twice, they are now self employed.

With all these, any intention of continuing to serve?

Well, I am getting encouragement from my people because I have known that the power of representation is in the thumbs of the constituents and that is why whenever I speak, I say that the highest office of the land is the office of citizens because they are like the determinants. You know, they are there in the barracks, soldiers will come and go but they are there. So, if I get that encouragement, which they have been giving to me truly because they are pleased with my representation, because the acronym of EAR they have seen it translated into action.

And of course, I failed to inform you that I promised them that I will attempt to redefine representation so that representation is moved away from the prism of he has skyscrapers, he has a long convoy of cars, to, how you have used the powers given to you through the thumbs of your constituents to impact positively and meaningfully on their wellbeing. From there, they are showing tremendous support and encouragement for me to continue to represent them in any capacity they choose, whether in the House of Representatives or in the Senate.

So, that means you have intention to run for the Senate or are you also gunning for governor?

No, I have told a number of persons, you could call me a gradualist, I take my things step by step. As my people are happy with me, they have demonstrated it. They convey that to me that I have done well in the House; now if they are encouraging me to go to the senate, I will gladly do that which they want me to do. I have told people I am not running for governor but that does not mean that I am not qualified to run for governor and I say I am not running for governor does not mean that I am not qualified. By His grace I have been able to demonstrate beyond doubt that leadership is the resolve for you to use that opportunity which others have yielded for you to exercise to use it to impact on the wellbeing of both your immediate and outside environment. So, it is not for aggrandizement and I have been able to demonstrate that convincingly.

Abia PDP recently zoned the governorship and Deputy governorship to Abia north and Abia central. That is being contested by many people who would rather canvass competence than zoning.  How do you look at all of these and where do you think the pendulum will eventually swing to and how does that affect you as an individual?

Where the pendulum swings to, I will answer your question. You said the ruling party which is the PDP, I am of the APC and they have zoned and you are talking about zoning and all that, it is okay, you want to do zoning, fine. I don’t want to bother myself about zoning or no zoning when I am not in PDP. But I will only ask the proponents of we have zoned to A, B, C. I said this on Channels and I want to repeat it now, you’ve used a process for nearly a quarter of a century and the process has not given you an encouraging results, after 24 years by next year of PDP controlled government in Abia, where the governorship has resided both in the north, in the central and in the south, can you put together the accomplishments of these 24 years and juxtapose it against your zoning or not zoning? Just put it together and say okay, after 24 years show me the achievements or are you just talking about zoning and not about governance, that is the question I have asked.

Are you saying that the people who have occupied the position as governors did not provide governance?

Well, what I am saying is that show me their accomplishments and if after nearly quarter of a century you are finding it difficult to say between now and then, that is what we have done, in nearly a quarter of a century, a quarter of 100 years and you are still consumed by zoning.

 Specifically speaking, are you advocating that it be thrown open?

What I am saying is that I would like people to spend their valuable time looking for quality leadership, leadership that bears fruit for the common people, that is what people should bother themselves about because if you check it and you know exactly what I am saying, do I need to name states where you can see that the leadership has translated, converted, transformed the state? It is a simple thing, I have told you something, put 24 years one side, this is a product of, okay, religious adherence to zoning. Then you now brace that 24 years and then check what has been accomplished. So, if you do the analysis and comparison, then you will now be in a position, perhaps, with the constituents who have been voting all the way.

If you are to speak to the government in place at the moment about the zoning thing, would you say throw it open or would you say let zoning  be retained.

Let me conclude this way; I have a member of APC who jumped into that fray. That is now a PDP affair even though any governor that is elected governs both APC, PDP, APGA. This is a PDP approach. I wouldn’t want to get involved in what PDP is doing, that may not necessarily be what my own party the APC would want to do. So, why get involved in PDP controversy? All I have said is that every system in this case, Abia should be able to do some kind of self examination, evaluation and all that, assessment and then know what is the result. What results are they getting from zoning in a quarter of a century? So, that is what I would like to say. I don’t want to get involved in a PDP generated controversy, no.

What is APC’s strength in Abia to get power from th the PDP?

APC strength in Abia is well defined. Individuals who have put themselves up for leadership have the potentials, proven track record of hard work and integrity, transparency. These are key virtues needed to be able to carry these people along. Leadership, exercising leadership means so much. It comes with sacrifice and not personal aggrandizement.

Looking at Abia as it is now, do you think APC will wrestle power from the PDP in 2023?

Don’t say anything without anchoring it around God. By the special grace of God APC stands in a very strong position to be able to wrestle power from the PDP. The ground is wet, the people are tired, they are not getting their salaries, everything, their pensions. So, many things are said, few are done and it’s been on for these number of years. So, are you going to be surprised? You cannot be surprised. So, there is every real clear chance that APC will not by any force anywhere, just natural expression of disgust and dissatisfaction with what has happened in the state. It’s a just a natural, just ask people to vote and let the votes count APC will win hands down.