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A chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State, Chukwudi Oli has faulted the politics of distributing tricycles, mini buses and other empowerment materials as primary duties of lawmakers.
Oli who is a House of Representatives aspirant for Njikoka, Anaocha, Dunukofia federal constituency in Anambra State said representative democracy should rather be about empowering and strengthening institutions that will help society function effectively.
The lawyer who spoke to journalists on Easter day said he decided to go into politics because he has seen the activities of past and present representatives of his constituency and how they struggle to dish out tangible materials to constituents, whereas the most effective empowerment is intangible ones which can last a lifetime.
“Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad idea to share empowerment materials like Keke to people, but what I mean is that representative democracy and lawmaking goes beyond that. Sharing Keke and shuttle busses are fast becoming the only dividend of democracy that we know, and it should not be so.
“We know that not everybody will be skilled to key into the initiatives that I want to introduce, but, if there are people that need those things (tangible empowerment), we will give them, but my core focus and mandate in going to represent my people is in building and strengthening institutions.
“The brain has unlimited capacity, but it is what you give it or feed it that it knows, so we intend to build institutions and feed our people’s brain with things that will help them tomorrow, instead of sharing things that will make them become liability tomorrow, because their total reliance is on the tangible thing you have provided.
“We want to build intangible empowerment that will last in perpetuity. I’m a lawyer, and I can tell you that you can practice law to any age as far as you can discern. That is the kind of empowerment I want to bring.
“Some of what our people call empowerment is not the job of lawmakers. As a lawmaker, your job is to make laws that will help the executive arm of government to strengthen institutions, which will go a long way to help the living standard of the people, not just by giving them handouts,” Oli said.
The 45-year old lawyer will in 2027 be slugging it out with Hon George Ozodinobi, the current representative of the constituency, who has also indicated interest to run on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
Distribution of empowerment materials not primary duty of lawmakers – APGA chieftain
