In his lecture to mark the 3rd anniversary of the Àbia State Governor, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, in office, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chidi Anselm Odinkalu made reference to a section of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which ought to be topmost in the minds of political office holders at all levels as well as those aspiring to be elected or appointed. The Constitutional provision under reference is Section 17(2)(c) which states: “governmental actions shall be humane”.
According to the erudite Constitutional lawyer who is also a Professor of Law, the aforementioned Section of the Constitutio “is arguably the most important provision in the Nigerian Constitution and the one provision that every politician in the country should be made to read and inhale before embarking on seeking for office”.
The member representing Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency in the Àbia State House of Assembly, Honorable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu (Ochake) seemed to have read this section many times over and consciously imbibed the wordings before his election into the Abia State House of Assembly in 2023. To effect, in the three years plus that he has been in the House of Assembly, the energetic and pragmatic legislator has adopted a people-centric approach in executing his legislative functions and in representing the good people of Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency.
To put the records straight, Honourable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu has been most humane in his representation of his constituency and constituents. A grassroots politician at home with his constituents, the empathetic, compassionate and kind-hearted law maker understands the needs of the people and has effectively been attending to them. Without any fear of contradiction, the qualitative, effective and impactful representation of Ochake is massively felt in all the ten (10) wards of Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency.
A youth friendly legislator, the House Committee Chairman on Culture and Tourism committed no fewer than N9 million in registering indigent leaders of tomorrow seeking admission into higher institutions for JAMB examination. Another N12,600,000:00 was doled out as scholarship award to 250 undergraduates with each receiving N50,000:00.
Aside the youths, Honourable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu also fixated attention in the welfare of women, widows, the elderly and vulnerable in his constituency. He has built uncountable number of bungalows for indigent women/widows and installed solar powered boreholes across his constituency. Recently, the manual borehole at Ikputu-Nsulu was converted to solar powered one. In addition, the law maker who believes in human capital development, has also sponsored the training of some youths in solar lights installation and repairs.
Beyond his legislative functions, affable, effervescent and gregarious Honourable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu (Ochake), freely identities and interacts with his constituents at social occasions, be it wedding, child dedication, burial, cultural festival, thanksgiving service and Women August meeting.
The humane representation of Honourable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu, his constituents say, has undoubtedly earned him a 2nd term to the Àbia State House of Assembly come 2027. A stalwart of the Labour Party (LP) in Isiala Ngwa North local government and the incumbent Supervisory Councilor for Education and Youth Development, Hon. Jude Obasi said that the humane disposition of OCHAKE has not been seen in representation of the constituency before and that this has earned him the trust and confidence of the people.
Speaking in the same vein, another stakeholder of Labour Party and former councilor who represented Umunna Nsulu Ward 2 in Isiala Ngwa Legislative Council, Hon. Oddy John stated that the 2nd term of Honourable Collins Ugochukwu Iheonunekwu is guaranteed as he has massive support of the people across the three political blocks of the local government following what he called the “direct touch of the Honourable member with his constituents.
Uzoma Isiakpu is a Public Relations Consultant.
