Ifeanyi IbeThe Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency has witnessed a profound efflorescence of democratic dividends of the ‘enye ndi ebea, enye ndi ebea’ hue which is a balancing philosophy by Ikukuoma Abia to ensure that every part of the Constituency receives some benefit.
This is because Rt. Hon. Engr. Enyinnaya Chinedu Orji, MNSE, House Speaker, Abia State Assembly, is a very meek, practical politician whose heart overflows with the milk of human kindness. Because of the enormous empathy he has for his constituents, he cannot sleep with his two eyes closed owing to the quantum of socioeconomic needs of the people. He is always engrossed in how to intervene in their hapless circumstances even when he is not the governor.
Just as Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has become synonymous with and nicknamed Mr Project, there is an avalanche of evidence to prove that Rt. Hon Chinedu Orji has become Mr Project in his Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency. The Ikukuoma Abia (Wind of blessing to Abia) is another variant of the Mr Project identity.
How he does these things when he is not the governor is amazing.
You only need to see the energy he exudes, which can only be a product of love for his people.
Indeed, this energy and love which drive him to show empathy and thereby deliver democratic dividends may have been struck in the fact of his professional career as an Engineer. Engineering which is one of the world’s oldest academic disciplines since the creation of heaven and earth has immeasurable advantages. As a core professional, the marriage between his discipline, society and politics is very glaring as he has deployed his profession to explore policy options that are struck on the fundamental needs of the people of his Constituency.
Indeed, Engineering is hallmarked by providing solutions to a wider range of human challenges; it has to do with the business of solving societal challenges whatever the nature, ranging from housing, transport, communication, medicine, space, entertainment, etc. It’s all about owning the responsibility to find and deliver solutions. This is also a reason the Nigerian Society of Engineers recently eulogized him as a worthy representative. Unfortunately, detractors and diehard opponents who won’t even do as much as Ikuku will never applaud.
Now, we can understand better. Hon Chinedum’s restlessness and aggressive pursuit of delivering democratic dividends across his constituency is not an accident. It’s a well-thought-out action plan. He was well prepared for it before venturing into politics. Politics on the other hand was to give him access to resources to actualise the goals. And when you take a good look at what he has done you can’t deny him the nickname, ‘Mr Project,’ an ‘Ikukuoma’ ( ‘a wind of blessing’) indeed. He has fully deployed his Engineering discipline to meet the yearnings of his constituents.
The list of projects across the Constituency is just breathtaking, too long, and boring to repeat here. All constituents know these already. But a few will suffice:
As of my last count, 24 drilled and reticulated water boreholes.
Eight mini stadiums. There are eight roads completely reconstructed. In the area of improvement in education, he reconstructed 16 schools, including secondary, primary and specialised ones like that of the blind.
On electricity and electrification, he has ensured that 28 communities benefitted. He renovated the Abia House of Assembly to world-class status, just as he provided medicare.
Furthermore, he has not relented in his empowerment programme where over 500 Abia youths have benefitted from ICT training even as 1500 are undergoing training. He also disbursed startup capital to entrepreneurs. Scholarships were awarded to indigent students. His imprint in road construction in the Umuahia North is tremendous with no fewer than 25 such roads.
It is not news that Rt. Hon Chinedum Orji wants to take up the higher political turf so as to put Abia and indeed his Constituency on the map of good governance. The question is: does a coach change a winning team? Can Ndi Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency change the winning team that Mr Speaker epitomises? We can’t tamper with this winning team if we want to achieve more and greater laurels.
It is therefore our responsibility to step up by sending Mr Speaker to the Federal Parliament because we trust his integrity, competence, skill, wisdom, grassroots orientation, commitment, love, and sincerity.
As a two-term senior assembly member, he has successfully deployed the legislative instrument for positive actions in the Constituency. He has garnered enormous experience in parliamentary business. Not being a novice he knows the secrets of getting parliamentary results for his people. He is not the kind of legislator to be cowered by his colleagues. He possesses a rich antecedent of turning the legislature around for good. Abia is proud to have him and therefore we should send him to the national level to go and turn things around for Nigeria.
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An outstanding point for Rt. Hon. Chinedum is his openness. This is one of a few politicians who run an open-door policy; he is very easy to reach, not minding your status. He mingles freely because he is a thoroughbred grassroots politician who does not look down on his power base. He puts on no air around him. He is a politician who elects to come down to see you and see things for himself. These characteristics are not found in a typical Nigerian politician. Abians need a Federal House Member whom they can approach even just by telephone call, or physically in Abuja and he will receive them. Not the one that once he gets into Abuja he gets missing.
Abians need a parliamentarian with a perfect understanding of the state’s peculiar needs, environmental challenges, etc. This rich understanding is the first step towards a successful parliamentary responsibility. Hon. Chinedum knows how and what it takes to conceptualise and get a law passed for the interest of the people.
To let the cat out of the bag, Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji has enunciated what he calls *The Legislative Covenant for Ndi Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency. One important point in the covenant is that he has sworn to report to the Constituency every month. The purpose is to address and report back on his stewardship and to assess his performance. Who can beat such a lofty KPI (Key Performance Indicator) that he has given to himself in an era where politicians are proud and arrogant? This KPI will make for self-assessment and self-criticism and ensure that he is hands-on on issues of governance and environment in the Constituency.
A second point in the covenant is the attraction of projects into the Constituency. He will use his contacts and legislative experience to connect NGOs and agencies that will come into the Constituency for business and humanitarian interventions. Indeed, connected to the second point of ‘The Legislative Covenant’ is Mr Speaker’s great aspiration. With his experience as Speaker there is no factor that will stop him from clinching at least a Committee Chair in the Federal House. This aspiration is anchored on making himself prominent to be able to bring the dividends of democracy to Abia State. Thus, he will be well-positioned, connected and influential to bring our Constituency to reckoning in the federal legislature.
It must be declared that Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency is blessed to have a well-groomed and spirit-filled politician like Rt Hon. Chinedum Orji. He is a politician that goes to the scene to see things for himself. This was the step he took a few weeks ago in Ariam-Usaka in response to the SOS on the impact of the pervasive gully erosion and of course to see the general state of the Ring Road. He has set in motion machinery to tackle the erosion menace. He is full of empathy.
I urge Ariam-Usaka clan to rise up and be counted. In Mr. Speaker we have our own son; a candidate ready to perform. He has given us a portion of the enye ndi ebea, enye ndi ebea. There is no doubt he will do more.
This call also goes to the entire Constituency. His signature legacy projects are found in every community. In Mr Speaker Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency will excel with him in the Federal Parliament. Let’s take Mr. Project, the Ikukuoma of Abia to Abuja. Our Constituency will receive more of this Wind of Blessing.
Ifeanyi Ibe is a Media Consultant. He can be reached on: 0803894509, ifeanyibe1969@gmail.com.
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