Its 3.35pm Wednesday November 02, 2022; 114 days 16 hours 25mins to the Nigeria Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for 25th February 2023.
The atmosphere has been bubbling with so much ‘noise’ since 28th September, 2022, the campaign kickoff day.
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Party candidates have since started cajoling, enticing and manipulating the teeming voting populace, with rhetoric, nuances, fake promises and clannishness.
But, as it’s echoed everywhere ‘Nigerians are now wiser’, 2023 elections is coming with much awakens, protests and resolutions. Nigerians are determined more than ever, TO DECIDE the Elections.
And while Nigerians eyes are fixed on ensuring that the next occupant of the No 1 house in Nigeria, the Aso rock Villa, is the RIGHT PERSON, they care no less for the next set of seats occupants at the Red and Green chamber.
Nigerian legislators just as everywhere in the world, play prominent role in democracy and governance. Their role in governance process makes or mars the nation’s development.
Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1) and (2) state: The legislative powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in a National Assembly for the Federation, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The National Assembly shall have power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Federation…
The making of laws in the country is the sole responsibility of the Legislators.
Unfortunately, since the inception of the fourth Republic in 1999, Nigerians have been skeptical on the role of the Legislature. It is seen as ill-equipped to handle the nation’s challenges and engage in effective lawmaking.
Lawmaking is often affected by the divided government and political polarization, which has made the citizens worried, as whether members of National Assembly really understand their role as lawmakers.
And so, as we approach the next election in 2023, it’s important we take a look at some of the key Legislator’s habits every Constituent must look out before casting his/her votes and deciding Representatives.
According to the Washington Post of January 6, 2015 the 5 highly effective legislator’s Habits are: 1- Develop a legislative agenda rooted in personal background, previous experiences and policy expertise.
2- Develop a legislative agenda tightly focused on district needs.
3- Be entrepreneurial with positions of institutional power.
Habit 4- Be open to compromise, even with those who are not natural allies.
Habit 5- Cultivate a broad set of allies, even beyond the House.
Constituents and voters must ask key questions such as: what’s the Legislator’s personal background? What is his/her previous experiences and policy expertise? This points us to the questions of Specialization, Score card, and dexterity.
In the next days and weeks, the series will focus on these Legislator’s habits Vis-a-vis the 2023 national Elections.
A case in mind is the Abia North Senatorial District. The district in Abia State Southeast Nigeria has five Local government Areas comprising Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umu – Nneochi.
The senatorial District has had four different senators since 1999, from Ike Nwachukwu, to Uche Chukwumerije to Mao Ohuabunwa, and then Orji Uzor Kalu.
In 2023, the contest is likely going to be between the last two, Mao Ohuabunwa and Orji Uzor Kalu of PDP and APC.
What are their personal backgrounds? What are their previous experiences? What are their policy ideas? Can we bank on Mao’s enviable personal background? His wide legislative experiences date back to 1999 as a Representative in the National Assembly, a Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, and then a Senator? His unparalleled Policy expertise?
We will try to answer these questions in the next edition, to give the constituents in the senatorial district a clue in deciding who to vote as their representative in the next election.
-Anietie udobit writes from Abuja (anieudobit.bcsb@gmail.com).