Lawmakers No Longer Interested In Legislation, Constituency Projects Should Be Scrapped – Reps Member
Member of the House of Representatives representing the Bwari/AMAC Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Obika Chinedu, has called for the scrapping of constituency projects as part of lawmakers’ duties.
He stated this in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, raising concerns over lawmakers’ alleged deviation from their primary legislative duties to the pursuance of community projects.
According to the Labour Party lawmaker, “the greatest harm that has been done to the legislative arm of government is this particular thing called constituency project. I hate it.”
Hon. Chinedu insisted that the only way Nigerians can “recover the country is by taking off the constituency project from legislators.”
He asserted that community projects are “not our business; we should only go out to supervise those whose job it is. Legislators have been turned into executives.”
“Everywhere we go, we keep receiving demands from people about one project or the other. People are no longer interested in lawmaking or things that should be put into the Constitution to better the lives of the people.
“Everybody is dragging how he can attract a road here or light there. The road is meant for everybody to have. No constituency is more than the other.
“Some of our colleagues who found themselves in leadership positions have more reach to do things. You will see a legislator that is dedicated, but because he doesn’t have that reach, he won’t be able to attract projects to his constituency, probably because he is from the opposition.
“People will look at him and say, ‘You have failed.’ No, it is not true. This has harmed us. That is why people who have no business with the National Assembly are there. If you go there and you are able to get a good committee that attracts a project, that is all.
“Lawmakers are no longer talking about legislation; we can no longer debate issues. Everybody is running to put satellites and boreholes, and the country is wasting away,” he said.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
