Promises functional constituency office, infrastructure tracking
By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi South Senatorial candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rt Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie, has unveiled his legislative agenda for the 2027 election, promising to establish a functional constituency system that will enable citizens to engage directly with his office.
Okorie also mobilised support for the presidential aspiration of Peter Obi, urging party members and supporters to work towards the emergence of the former Anambra State governor in the 2027 presidential election
Speaking at his country home in Onicha Igboeze during the official flag-off of his campaign and presentation of his manifesto, titled “The Ebonyi South People’s Mandate: From Waiting to Work — A Legislative Covenant for a Greater Ebonyi South,” Okorie said effective representation required accountability, accessibility and sustained engagement with constituents
He said Ebonyi South Senatorial District, comprising Afikpo, Edda, Ivo, Ohaozara and Onicha, deserved representation capable of effectively articulating the needs of the people at the National Assembly
According to him, the constituency office would provide a platform for citizens to submit complaints, propose community projects, obtain information on legitimate opportunities, report abandoned projects, seek assistance with public services and engage with the senator’s office
Okorie cautioned against making executive promises during legislative campaigns, saying such promises were beyond the constitutional responsibilities of a senator
“One of the easiest ways to disappoint citizens is to campaign for a legislative office with executive promises I will not do that.
“A senator does not award road contracts A senator does not personally construct hospitals, dams, power substations or federal roads. A senator does not run ministries or government agencies.
“But an effective senator can make an important difference A senator can make and amend laws. A senator can move motions and raise matters of urgent public importance. A senator can influence national budgets and appropriations.
“A senator can conduct oversight of Ministries, Departments and Agencies A senator can defend the interests of his people. A senator can pursue federal institutions, programmes and interventions.
“A senator can build partnerships with federal institutions, the private sector, development organisations, the diaspora and credible international partners And a senator can hold public agencies accountable for abandoned, delayed or poorly executed projects,” he said.
Okorie, who served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, said his legislative experience had prepared him for the Senate
He said he chaired the House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions and participated in legislation, appropriation and oversight, while facilitating interventions in employment, empowerment, education, healthcare, agriculture, electricity, community development and welfare
He also said he served for eight years as a member of Nigeria’s standing delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly, an inter-parliamentary body involving parliamentarians from African, Caribbean and Pacific states and members of the European Parliament
He said the experience would enable him to combine legislative representation with effective engagement with federal institutions and development partners
“Ebonyi South must be represented by someone who can speak for our communities at home, engage institutions in Abuja, and understand how wider development partnerships can be mobilised for opportunity,” he said
The former lawmaker said residents across Ebonyi South faced challenges ranging from unemployment and inadequate agricultural support to healthcare, infrastructure, business opportunities and assistance for vulnerable citizens
“Across Ebonyi South, the same story repeats itself in different forms Graduates wait for jobs. Farmers wait for inputs and markets. Communities wait for development. Patients wait for healthcare. Traders wait for support. Artisans wait for tools. Young people wait for opportunities. Students wait for assistance. Indigent families wait for succour,” he said.
He said his response was encapsulated in the slogan “Ogeruwo,” which he described as a call for an end to waiting and the beginning of purposeful representation
“Our vision is a Greater Ebonyi South where every community has a voice, every citizen has dignity, young people can see a future, small businesses can grow, farmers can prosper, vulnerable people are supported and public representation produces results that can be examined,” Okorie said
He outlined his human-development framework as the HELPPS Agenda, covering Health and Education; Employment and Empowerment; Loans and Business Support; Promotion of Culture and Tourism; Partnership for Community Development and Sustainability; and Succour for Vulnerable Groups
According to him, the framework would not replace the constitutional duties of a senator but would guide how legislative responsibilities were applied to the needs of constituents
On water and electricity, Okorie said he would prioritise legislative and advocacy efforts towards addressing infrastructure gaps affecting communities in the district
He identified Akaeze and Ishiagu as areas where access to potable water had been complicated by geological conditions and low aquifer levels, saying conventional boreholes had repeatedly failed to provide reliable solutions
“I will give priority legislative and advocacy attention to the completion and activation of existing dam projects and associated water infrastructure serving these communities,” he said
Okorie also listed the completion and activation of the Amasiri 2x60MVA 132/33kV Transmission Substation as one of his major advocacy and appropriation priorities
“We will pursue the responsible institutions, budget lines, timelines and implementation obligations until the public can see progress,” he said
He recalled that, while serving in the House of Representatives, he facilitated the connection of Isu, headquarters of Onicha Local Government Area, to the national grid after more than two decades since the creation of the local government
He said his electricity agenda would also focus on Afikpo, Akaeze, Onicha Igboeze, Okposi, Uburu, Ugwulangwu and other communities identified through a district-wide assessment
“Electricity should follow people and productive activity, not political influence,” he said
Okorie added that similar attention would be given to roads, bridges, dams, erosion sites, agricultural infrastructure and abandoned federal projects
He said he would establish an Ebonyi South Federal Infrastructure Priority Register to identify responsible agencies, monitor project status and budget history, and track implementation beyond the announcement stage
“We will maintain an Ebonyi South Federal Infrastructure Priority Register, identify responsible agencies, track status and budget history, and follow projects beyond the day of announcement,” he said