The
legislature is an assemblage of the representatives of the people elected under
a legal framework to make laws for the good health of society. It is also
defined as the institutional body responsible for making laws for a
nation and one through which the collective will of the people or part of it is
articulated, expressed and implemented.
The legislature controls through legislation, all economic,
social and political activities of the nation or State. It also scrutinizes the
policies of the executive and provides the framework for the judiciary to
operate. In the light of the foregoing, we cannot talk about democracy in any
meaningful form or manner, without the legislature. In
simple terms, the legislature performs three basic roles: representation, lawmaking
and oversight.
While
the Chief Executive should be generally acknowledged for development across the
State, it is not compulsory that a Governor will develop his entire ethnic
region nor does it lead to benefit for all individuals from the group. Examples
are bound. It is the representatives from the areas who bring development to
their areas, because they are the ones who are aware of the topography and the
needs of their people. President Jonathan has done more for States in the north
than Bayelsa. Ogbemudia was a great
leader as military governor, but why is Igbanke rural, backward and one of the
least developed areas in Edo State till date.
Chief
James Ibori did not develop the whole of Urhobo land in fell swoop, just as Dr.
Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has not, for the entire Itsekiri nation. While Chief
Ibori was responsible for developments in Oghara, it is Ighoyota Amori who should
be credited with developments in Mosogar. David Edevbie in Ughelli, just as
Ifeanyi Okowa could be credited for developments in the Ika axis. At the
individual level, a thorough analysis will show that those who benefitted more may
even be non-Deltans. At the individual level, it is more about old time
friendship, alumni connections and other social relationships.
So
what is this whole noise about Urhobo governor all about? Whoever is brought
out, at the end, it is his/her interest, family, friends and probably that of
his village that is uppermost. We must learn to build institutions, rather than
individuals. There is need to find a way to make our representatives to sit up.
We hear about constituency projects, how many constituents have asked to know
what the projects are and their state of completion. Have we cared to find out
how much money is involved and equate that with whatever projects is executed,
if any.
We
cannot be slaves to our ethnic origins instead we should harness these
diversities towards national and State development. Our elites should not allow
themselves to be seen as sectional leaders. One of the sociological problems
hindering the growth of nation states in Africa is multi-ethnicity and the
political misuse by the majority tribes.
What
we should be advocating is cooperation among the various ethnic groups that
make up Delta State so that we can produce a credible candidate that will win
the general election for our great party and develop our society. Those
canvassing for public office should go to the electorate with their strategies
for implementing their policies and programmes. Let us leave ethnicity and personalities
out of civilized and informed issues-centred discourse on the political turf.
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