By NewsBits
Governorship Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Enugu State in the just concluded gubernatorial election, Hon. Chijoke Edeoga, has urged the members of the party who were elected to serve the Enugu State House Assembly, to be ready to protect their constituencies as well as the constituents.
Edeoga gave the charge during a retreat the Labour Party organised for the House of Assembly members-elect who were elected under the platform of the party in the Assembly election held at Ten Ten Hotel, GRA, Enugu.
“Protect your constituencies and your constituents. You should know where you are coming from and where you are going,” he said, pointing out that they were given the mandate to represent the people and as such should stand for the people.
Edeoga, who advised the incoming legislators not to be confrontational with the executive, however, said they must always bear in mind of giving their people the needed democracy dividend. He told them to distinguish themselves and not be like the past legislators who many see as rubber stamps to the executive.
“Try to distinguish yourself so that you are not like the people in the past. The people needed a change, and you have to give them the change,” he said.
Earlier in his address to the upcoming legislators, the Enugu State Labour Party chairman, Barr. Casmir Agbo called on the elected members not to go to the House to dance to the tune of the executive but to be focused on what their constituencies and constituents want. He, however, urged them not to stand up to the executive as if they are going in for a fight but to protect interest.
Agbo said: “We are not going to fight anybody as a party. We want factual and truthful governance. We should not be termed opposition. There is not going to be any war with you and the executive. The House will ensure that the executive does not disburse funds without approval from the House.
“If the executive, for instance, comes up with a project and it is not executed, the House will hold the executive accountable.” He said that they should ensure that things are not done the same way they were done in the past.
Presenting a lecture on the occasion, Prof.Jude Udenta of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT), Enugu, called on the incoming assembly members “not to allow monetary inducement from the executive to becloud their sense of judgement.”
Emphasising on the dangers of pandering to monetary influence, Udenta said that “they would be like Judas that got money but never lived to enjoy the money.” Recall that the Labour Party won 14 seats out of the 24- member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, hence are in the majority.
