The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Chinedu Ogah, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field candidates with grassroots acceptance for the 2027 general election to ensure its victory at the polls.
Ogah, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, maintained that elections are not won on social media and called on those angling for political positions to reach out to the grassroots instead of using Facebook propaganda.
He made the disclosure in Abakaliki, the state capital, while reacting to criticisms by some individuals in his constituency over his alleged refusal to make financial returns to them.
He maintained that his focus remains on delivering democratic dividends to the masses.
Hon Ogah said that his political strategy is deeply rooted in the support of grassroots women, men, and youths, starting with the idea that sharing money with certain individuals without much electoral value amounts to a waste of resources and efforts.
He said that only his constituents, especially the youth and women, will determine his re-election to the National Assembly in 2027, not his critics.
“Since my election into the National Assembly in November 2019, I have recorded remarkable achievements. We have constructed roads, built houses for widows, sunk boreholes, given scholarships to over 470 students, electrified our rural communities, empowered our youths and women, and given out farm inputs. That’s what I called quality representation, not giving money to individuals.
It is absurd for anyone to say that because a National Assembly member has gone two tenures despite his achievements and Democratic dividends to the people, he should not go again. It is important for them to note that the legislature is not tenured.”
“There have been several media propaganda against my person, but I am not perturbed about their criticism. The people are the ones to determine if I am going back or not, not the few individuals parading themselves on social media.
“They always say that yes I have performed creditably but that I should allow someone else to go. Politics is not done that way, anyone who wants to contest should be bold enough to come out.
“Since the inception of democracy, show me any National Assembly member that has achieved what I have done for my constituents. I am contesting for the House of Representatives in 2027. Any person who is interested in the race should present himself for the contest. My records of achievements speak for me.
“i have attracted the National Open University to the State Correctional Center, and establishing skill acquisition centres to ensure that the crime rate in our state is brought to zero. Those persons who will be graduating from the National Open University will not go back to crime again.
“I have offered jobs to 1,100 persons in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and produced 452 graduates,” he said.
