By Ziakegha Peter 

In the estimation of serious observers of legislative business worldwide, the benchmark for a great lawmaker is not access to power but the use of power to solve problems. By that standard, Rt. Hon. Dr. Julius Pondi deserves a seat in any conversation about the finest legislators of this generation. 

Dr. Pondi, who once served as councillor representing Ogulagha Ward 19 in the Burutu Legislative House, was elected in 2007 and rose to become Leader of the House. In that capacity, he pushed through a bye-law making the teaching of the Ijaw language compulsory in all government primary schools in Burutu LGA , a cultural preservation measure that announced, from the very beginning, the kind of lawmaker he intended to be: one who roots governance in identity, heritage, and the aspirations of ordinary people.

  Due to his active participation and strong commitment to this call, Osiki, through excellence and the overwhelming acceptance of the people,  advanced to the federal stage, where he continues to distinguish himself as a true legislator through purposeful representation and impactful lawmaking.

In the green chamber, uncountable bills and motions were raised and among his earliest and most consequential motions was the one raised in March 9, 2016, mandating the use of life-jackets and other safety gadgets in maritime travel on Nigeria’s waterways and rivers. The motion called on the Federal Government to evolve a national policy on maritime safety, mandated the Committee on Maritime Transportation to investigate the frequency of waterway accidents, and urged the Committee on Justice to examine existing laws in the maritime sector with a view to strengthening legislation on maritime security.

  For those of us who are from the constituency of the creeks and canals, where water transportation is not a recreational option but the primary means of daily commuting, this motion was far more than a procedural exercise. It was a matter of life and death. Its passage by the House was aimed at safeguarding lives, improving safety on our waterways, and addressing the daily risks faced by our constituents.

  On February 25, 2016, Dr.   Pondi raised a motion on the massive oil spill at the Shell Forcados Export Pipeline, calling on the Nigerian Government, the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and relevant bodies to conduct a forensic investigation into the rupture of the export pipeline , a bold confrontation with an oil major on behalf of fishing communities whose livelihoods had been devastated.

  He also raised a motion on January 21, 2016, on the destruction of national assets in the Niger Delta and the consequential military siege, urging the military high command to protect innocent natives , particularly the aged and children   during operations, and calling on perpetrators of attacks on petroleum infrastructure to embrace the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

  More recently, Dr. Pondi co-sponsored a bill to amend the South-South Development Commission (Establishment) Act, 2025, specifically seeking to strengthen the financial base of the Commission to enable it effectively carry out its mandate of addressing infrastructural and socio-economic challenges peculiar to the South-South region.   The bill received overwhelming support from fellow lawmakers and was referred to the relevant House committee for further action. That itself is   a legislative victory with regional consequence.

  Don’t forget that our very own, Osiki   also pursued a bill for the establishment of an Aquaculture School in Tuomo, Burutu Local Government Area , a forward-looking piece of legislation that recognises the economic potential of the Niger Delta’s waterways and seeks to build an institution that would convert natural advantage into human capital development for generations yet unborn.

  If the floor of the House is where bills are born, it is in the committees where they are shaped. Dr. Pondi’s committee assignments reveal the breadth of his legislative interest and the depth of his commitment to the issues that matter most to his people.

 As a very proactive lawmaker, he has served   on the Committees on Industries; Water Resources; Ethics and Privileges; Tertiary Education and Services; the Emergency and Disaster Preparedness; FCT Area Council and Ancillary Matters; Human Rights; and Maritime Safety and Education . Currently, he is the chairman, house Committee on the South-South Development Commission.