Rt. Hon. Emeka Martin Chinedu
By: Sam. Onwuemeodo
From an advanced Democracy like that of the United States of America, U.S.A, to the young or growing Democracy like that of Nigeria, the writers or the drafters of each of the nation’s Constitutions had, mutatis mutandis, specified or defined the tenure or terms for the office of President and that of the governor.
They had, in their wisdom, spelled out the number of terms or years the person elected into the office of president or governor would stay. And after the duration of that tenure, the curtain is drawn.
The same authors of the Constitution, who specifically stated, with no ambiguity, the number of terms or tenure or years someone should serve as president or governor, and the chapter is closed, also gave members of the legislature, whether at the national level or at the state level, blank cheques or limitless tenure. No duration. No tenure or term specification. No age limit, after the entry point. Once one is elected, he stays put for as many terms as his or her constituents allow him or her, and even at one hundred years. Some even argue that the older the age, the sweeter the thing becomes. The older, the sweeter. The more the advancement in age, the better. The more juicy, the whole thing becomes.
I do not think that the writers of the Constitution, who came up with such an arrangement or development, were stupid. They were not foolish, if you ask for my opinion. There was a spirit behind what they did. Ask me, they were under great anointing to have done that. To behold.
If you’re elected President for two terms of eight years, you can’t be elected President again. If you’re elected governor twice or for two terms of eight years, it also means that you can not be elected governor again.
In the 1999 Constitution as amended, Section 137, sub-section 1(B), made it snappy. No ambiguity. No long or detailed grammar. Simply put, “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of president if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections”. Bekee wu agbara. ..” if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections”. In other words, if he had spent two terms of four years each. Or if he had spent eight years in office. Same with that of the governor of a State.
The point or the sound logic is that the functions of the Executive, be it the office of the president or the governor, are distinct or different from those of a legislator. Any serious president or governor can achieve his or her set goals or mapped out programme in eight years.
In the case of the legislator, whose primary assignment is to make laws and other “idiosyncrasies” (oversight functions), the more experienced, the more productive or fruitful the person becomes. The more experienced, the better. And in the overall interest of all and sundry.
Aside from the issue of becoming more experienced in the art and act of law drafting and law making, the person grows more wings or develops more tentacles. I don’t want to say that the person becomes more wonderful or more powerful. Do you understand? The person becomes more grounded and more connected for good. To behold. And all things being equal. The person involved becomes more stoic for results. Sentiment apart. Bias apart.
For those talking about turn by turn, they also know the truth. The truth that a particular constituency benefits more when their legislator becomes an “old School” in the National Assembly or in the House of Assembly. Becomes an old “stock”. But in doing all these, the wheat must be separated from the chaff. The dregs must be removed from the main thing. The real people must be detached from the “Oyupaases”. Give an Oyupaa twenty-six years at the national or state Assembly, he would remain an “Oyupaa”. Even, the more he stays, the more his or her “oyupaa” becomes more advanced or more glaring. Becomes “Oyupastic”. From there, you get “oyupasm”. It becomes his or her credo or principle. It grows from singular, “Oyupaa” to plural, “Oyupases”. We know them. It’s grossly or to a  large extent, a Spiritual thing. A spiritual venture. When someone does not have the right spirit for results or for performance, you can’t help such a situation. It’s a bad scenario.
That is to say, as we write, those of them with the zeal or who have shown enough desire or capacity for achievements or results should be encouraged by all those concerned to return to the national Assembly and State Assembly. At the same time, the snails, or the “Oyupaas” among them, should be told to recoil or made to vamoose. To disengage. Reason being that you don’t flog a dead horse.
Let me continue to navigate. I do not see what the people of one Federal or State Constituency would lose if their representative, who has done well and seen to have done well, goes back to the House of Reps or the House of Assembly. It does not matter how many terms he has already appropriated. Or, spent. Turn by turn is made for man and not man, for turn by turn. The people of the particular Constituency would gain more because their man has shown enough energy. Has shown strength or capacity. It is in the compound and simple interest of his Constituents to continue to tap from his legislative and socio- political sagaciousness and exploits.
For the State and Federal Constituencies, we all know those of them have shown that allowing them to go back or continue, won’t be in vain. Won’t be a waste of the renewed mandate. They have the vibrancy, the composure, and the clout to continue to draw from the deep well. They are very few.
It is not even advisable for a State like Imo to send entirely fresh people to the National Assembly or to the State Assembly. The existing ones who have dramatized or shown the doggedness and ability, and the right posturing to go for the goal or gold, should be supported and allowed to go back. Experience is the best teacher because it tells one when to go straight and when to meander, for good. “Oyupaas” neither goes straight nor meanders. They always stagger. Always thinking about which leg to put forward first. At times, stranded with no one to come to their rescue. That won’t be our portion in Jesus ‘ Name, Amen.
While we continue to clap for JESUS.
