..Tackle federal lawmaker, others
JACOB OGODO, Abakaliki
A coalition of civil rights groups in Afikpo/Edda federal constituency, Ebonyi State, have urged aspirants for the position of House of Representatives seat in the area to restore power supply to Afikpo, if they must campaign in the area in next year’s general election.
It frowned at the inability of the incumbent member representing the constituency, Chief Iduma Igariwey, the Deputy Governor of the State, Princess Patricia Obila, the members representing both State Assembly in the area and other politicians to generate electricity in the area.
The groups, Afikpo Intelligentsia in the Diaspora (AID), Restore Afikpo Light Campaigners Abroad and Odinma Afikpo Group (OAG) where reacting to the statement recently credited to Igariwey.
Igariwey, in his statement, maintained that it is within the powers of the Federal Government of Nigeria to fund constituency projects, not lawmakers, thus describing the recent surge of online criticism that has trailed the over two decades of darkness, particularly in his ancient Ehugbo community, as borne out of ignorance.
Leaders of the groups, Charles Otu, representing Odinma Afikpo Group (OAG), Olughu Franklin Nnamdi who signed on behalf of Afikpo Intelligentsia in the Diaspora, (AID) and Collins Alum Eze, representing RestoreAfikpoLight_ Campaigners Abroad opined that the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electricity Act 2023, and the Electricity Act (Amendment) 2025 did give a federal lawmaker some ample and adequate tools – not exactly to generate electricity by himself, but to force action from those who can.
It read, “For us, as concerned groups, worried by the over 20 years lack of electricity in Afikpo LGA, one of such ways we believe our lawmaker, Hon. Igariwey ought to have put the pressing matter of the restoration of electricity in his Afikpo LGA not only on record but a topical and important concern is by moving a Motion of Urgent Public Importance on the floor of the House of Representatives where he has bestroden like a phenomenal colossus and forcing a debate even more particularly using his influence and position as a co-chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation.
“This, in our understanding and estimation could have yielded a more positive impact being that he has occupied the said highly sensitive Appropriation Committee co-chair position where for instance, his interrogation of a senior NDDC Staff, Professor Daniel Kemebradikumo Pondei sometime in July 2020 by his committee led to the total collapse of a top management staff who was accused of corruption and financial malfeasance.
“We recollect and strongly commend him however that in the year 2020, our lawmaker, the same Hon. Igariwey had caused an appearance to be made before the House Committee on Power, summoning the leadership of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, (TCN) to a public hearing wherein he poured out the anger and frustration of his constituents over the nearly two decades of darkness in his community.
“However, we were thoroughly disappointed that nearly six years after the 2020 ‘summon’ of TCN, no words have ever come from the lawmaker regarding a follow up on the darkness that has become a deeply growing concern among his constituents he has represented for about 12 unbroken years.
“Anticipatedly, the people of Afikpo and Edda which are both highly urban with many educated elites and personalities had long waited patiently that since 2015 when Okpudo as Igariwey is favouritely called ought to have inserted a specific line item for the Amasiri-Afikpo transmission line in the Appropriation Bill and follow up same until the money is released and spent.
“He could have also filed formal petitions to NERC and the Rural Electrification Agency to put Afikpo on the priority list. We believe, contrary to Igariwey’s posturings, that these are all within his constitutional powers of representation, oversight and appropriation especially within the powers of a ranking lawmaker like him who surely knows his way in and out of the National Assembly.
“As a coalition, we rightly insist and agree with those who have argued that after 12 whopping years in the House, Afikpo deserves the full weight of Okpudo’s legislative office and actions- not just appeals behind closed doors, but motions on record, committee hearings, and budget insertions that compel federal agencies to answer in public.
“Rather, what we have witnessed in return is the unarguable fact that the lawmaker has totally avoided all foras called by the people for him to give account of his stewardship on the pressing subject matter like other politicians had done in the past.
“Ordinarily, we had high hopes that our dear powerful lawmaker who admittedly has constructed many roads across the two LGAs of Afikpo and Edda as constituency projects, executed water projects and have done some skeletal human empowerment as constituency projects too, also gifting materials and cash in some few instances to his constituents, would rise to the huge occasion.
“But we have been awfully let down by the posture and disposition of our lawmaker on the attractions and executions of constituency projects in the National Assembly.
“As a matter of fact, several of his colleagues in NASS, including non-ranking members have used their positions to influence and attract attention to their constituents in the all-important subject of electricity which is generally a national concern.
“For instance, his colleague, Hon. Akarachi Amadi of (Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency) of Imo State recently unveiled a massive empowerment initiative just this April 2026, which included the distribution of 67 transformers to communities in his constituency to address power supply issues.
“Even though we admit that efforts of the State government and stakeholders have been more channeled towards the completion of the 132kVA Amasiri sub-station, it was long expected of Okpudo who have made huge committee and personal funds from his strategic Appropriation Committee to deploy or support the procurement of electricity materials like several of his colleagues have done through effective legislative oversight duties and intensive lobbying which he should know better as a lawyer.
“Nonetheless, we reiterate that despite all of the explanations and current social media theatrics, our son, Hon Iduma Igariwey owes Afikpo people some public explanations not the golden silence he had maintained for about 12 years, only to surface alongside his social media defenders with some lame and silly defenses due to the resumed online protests and agitation for restoration of Afikpo light by the growing concerned citizens and netizens who have lost trillions of Naira to the protracted electricity blackout in Afikpo.
We therefore beckon on him to convene a solemn assembly wherein he would have a heart-to-heart talk with our people on his efforts and the way forward to permanently restore electricity in Afikpo – unarguably the second largest city and economy in Ebonyi State”, the group concluded.
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