By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe
In Democratic Politics, especially in Nigeria and some parts of Africa, vibrant and result oriented elected representatives are not easy to come by. Reason being that some politicians sees their mandate as empowerment or share of the national cake from either political godfather(s) or the political party as reward for many years of loyalty.
These group of loyal and elected representatives major focus is usually on the political godfather(s) on whose back or political family they climbed to either state or federal legislative arm of government as lawmakers. The people they are elected to represent come last in their scale of preference because reelection will be determined by the same political godfather(s) and not the electorates, not based on performance. This is why politics remained the most lucrative business in Africa.
However, there are few elected representatives who knows their onions and also understand the fact that the people are the masters; why they are the servants sent forth to facilitate and bring dividends of democracy to their state and federal constituencies, as well as senatorial districts. These group of Democrats are usually very easy to identify through their robust contributions to debates and bills sponsored to impact the socioeconomic wellbeing of the people, the state and country.
One of such vibrant and visionary federal lawmaker in the present dispensation is Hon Chief Roland Ben Igbakpa, representing the good people of Ethiope Federal Constituency at the National Assembly. From day one, he impressed his constituents through the sponsorship of bills and meaningful contributions to debates during plenaries in the hallowed chambers.
Igbakpa, has been rated by the leadership of the Federal House of Representatives as one of the highly resourceful member of the house, and a well informed legislator with deep knowledge of legislative functions, proactive, displays uncommon humility, a team player and an empowerment supremo, judging from his unblemished performance in the past three years and still counting.
As you read this piece, Hon Ben Igbakpa, is working round the clock to ensure that the Bill to establish a Federal University of Education in Isiokolo is passed and established. He sponsored the Bill as a first timer at the green chambers of the National Assembly. Isiokolo is the political headquarter of Ethiope East Local Government Area, known to have produced heavy weight politicians in the past and present political dispensations.
The sad news is that we hear from the political power radars that some very powerful individuals are already working very hard to truncate the establishment of the Federal University of Education in Ethiope East, the first federal university of education in the South-South Geopolitical zone. How do they intend to achieve their unholy agenda? Very Simple! They want to stop Hon Igbakpa’s reelection to the House of Representatives in 2023, so as to further retard developments in Agbon Kingdom.
We all know that if the University is established in Isiokolo, it shall automatically speed up development in Agbon Kingdom comprising; Okpara Inland/Waterside, Kokori, Ovu, Orhuakpor, Samagidi, Egbo, Eku and host of other communities in the area. It will attract banks, good road networks, massive commercial activities, greater economic values for properties, provide thousands of jobs for our teeming youth, academic and nonacademic staff, create wealth for the good people of Ethiope East and by extension, Deltans and the state government through collection of taxes and many other sources of revenues.
Hon Roland Ben Igbakpa, is no doubt a pragmatic and dogged politician with vast knowledge of grassroots politics, electioneering victory tactics and a shinning star at the House of Representatives. We are very proud of his enviable achievements. He is indeed an admirable Ambassador of the good people of Ethiope Federal Constituency and we shall go any length to have him reelected.
We trust that our party leader and governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, will also support Igbakpa’s reelection in 2023. Igbakpa is certainly the kind of politician and elected representative that we the people of Ethiope Federal Constituency have pencilled down to join the league of Okowa Legacy Consolidation Group, OLCG, in 2023.
Those working behind closed doors to stop Hon Ben Igbakpa from being reelected in 2023 will have thousands of us to content with directly or indirectly. I am a proud son of Agbon Kingdom; Paternally Kokori and Maternally Okpara Inland. Igbakpa is from Oghara in Ethiope West but we have adopted him as a true son of Agbon Kingdom, due largely to his visionary leadership and for championing the course to have a Federal University of Education established in Isiokolo, the heart and ancestral headquarter of the ancient great Agbon Kingdom.
We dare say to Hon Ben Igbakpa’s detractors in Ethiope Federal Constituency that he shall surely be reelected in Ethiope East in 2023, and we are pretty sure that those who love good representation and visionary leadership shall also reelect him in Ethiope West, come 2023.
This is the first major opportunity for Agbon Kingdom to have a federal presence via the Bill sponsored by Hon Igbakpa for the establishment of a Federal University of Education in Isiokolo. We must never allow our enemies of progress to kill this fantastic dream, project and achievement.
It is therefore, our collective responsibility to support Igbakpa’s reelection in 2023, and declare those working against his reelection as enemies of Agbon Kingdom and Ethiope East in general, for life!
I so submit.
