The Akwa Ibom Sleeping Lawmakers: Monumental waste of Akwa Ibom slots at NASS- THEMAIL

thekillerpunch

On March 28, 2015, indigenes of Akwa Ibom State went out en masse to elect a new set of lawmakers to represent them at the National Assembly. PDP had a clean sweep, winning all the seats up for grabs at the polls.

Just like their counterparts in other parts of the country, the then MPs-elect were sworn-in as members of the 8th National Assembly on the 9th of June, 2015. After over 15 months in office, a large chunk of Akwa Ibom’s representatives are yet to make any meaningful impact either on the Red or Green Chambers.

While lawmakers from other parts of the country are shining in the National Assembly, the ones from Akwa Ibom have taken the back seat, choosing to be ‘Sleeping Lawmakers’. Some of them were last seen/heard when they took oath of office.

Aside Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Bassey Albert, Rt. Hon Sam Ikon and to some extent, Emmanuel Ekon, other Akwa Ibom lawmakers in the National Assembly have disappeared into oblivion. They have been a waste of Akwa Ibom’s slots at the Red and Green Chambers. They rarely make contributions during plenary sessions neither do they second motions. You can only see them opening their mouths when the Senate President says – those in favour say aye, those against say nay.

Presenting a motion or sponsoring a bill is a taboo to them. To make matters worse, majority of them have failed to report progress to their constituents. Summarily, they have failed in their primary assignment of lawmaking and also failed in either empowering their people or bringing meaningful developments to their areas.

Aside lawmaking, they fail politically too. Most Akwa Ibom lawmakers are always very influential and active in Akwa Ibom, but immediately they are sent to Abuja, they disappear into thin air. It leaves us with the questions – Are Akwa Ibom Politicians Local Champions? Why can’t they exert the same influence they have in their home state when they get to the nation’s political capital and compete favorably with their counterparts from other states? Our lawmakers can’t scheme and get important/juicy committees to chair at the National Assembly. Or are they always overwhelmed by national politics? More questions than answers.

In lieu of this, TheMail X-rays the remaining 9 lawmakers who have left Akwa Ibom people wondering if they have had their mouths sealed and their asses glued to their seats in the National Assembly. The part 1 of this piece was published in June and the ‘sleeping lawmakers’ in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly were captured.

Senator Nelson Effiong: He is the biggest flop in Read More @ http://www.thekillerpunch.com/akwa-ibom-sleeping-lawmakers-monumental-waste-akwa-ibom-slots-nass-themail/