The lawmaker representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South in the House of Representatives, Hon. Patrick Asadu has expressed concern over the wrong expectations placed on lawmakers by their constituents.
Asadu spoke at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, shortly after he was honoured by the institution, alongside Senator Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu and literacy icon, Wole Soyinka.
He said owing to the lack of adequate enlightenment, especially among the rural dwellers, efforts by lawmakers in the areas of their core duties and responsibilities were hardly noticed.
He said, “in our clime, there is a very huge challenge for you. The voter in the village does not even know the responsibility of the local government chairman he voted for and the house of assembly member, or Reps member or Senator. If a governor is building road, he expects the lawmaker to be building road.
“So, even the awareness, to tell them that your mandate is different as a parliamentarian is a huge task”.
Asadu equally bemoaned the perceived friction between the National Assembly and the Executive arm of government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, “we are in a season, where the executive does not recognize the National Assembly as a distinct and separate arm of government.
“We are also in a government where for the first time in the centre, we are in opposition in Enugu, but the governor is doing very well. It is a good thing for us.
“God has given us opportunity to serve and the people has given us amazing support. I am the first person in this part of the world that has gone to the House of Reps for third term, only God knows where He is taking us to.
“So, what I can do to God who I cannot see, is to make impact in the life of people, who I can see.
“I tasted poverty; trekked to school. I know what it means to suffer; so, I’m challenged to do more for the people.”
He added that “as a third timer, it even becomes also another challenge, helping the younger ones from this part of the country and taking up national challenges. Everyday you learn, and you have to take your colleagues through.
“For me, I do not think we have done anything, because poverty is still there, diseases are still there despite medical missions. So, there are too much things to improve upon.”
In a remark at the event, former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said the records of achievements reeled out in Asadu were rare among present day lawmakers.
“We hardly hear these kind of achievements about other lawmakers in this part of the country,” he said.
Ezeife regretted that the country had got to its lowest level at this time but that there were efforts to reunite the country.
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