Politics
Rep Advocates Sincere, Selfless Participation In Governance
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, has called for sincere and more robust participation in governance, noting that getting involved and making reasonable contributions are the right steps to making society better.
Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, made the call while speaking at an Evening of Poetry and Tributes organised by the Ken Saro-Wiwa Foundation in honour of late Ogoni activist, author and environmentalist, Patrick Naagbanton held in Port Harcourt, weekend.
The federal lawmaker recalled having a discussion with the late author and environmentalist (Patrick) where he told the latter that the political space was in dire need of selfless people who wish society well.
According to him, during one of my interactions with him (Patrick), I told him that in government circles, we have very few comrades. And the few comrades that we have are not making the required impact or changes, I don’t know whether we have too much water in our mouths.
“But very sincerely, all our efforts are to change society. And I don’t believe that sitting outside, we can truly change this society. If we can, perhaps, we need to change our style to change this society.
“What I mean is to encourage people who very sincerely wish society well. People who are prepared to be selfless in their service to humanity, people who are not after material things, people who are not after bettering their own lives first before that of the people they serve, to involve in public service.
“That is the only way we can better our country. As long as we stay away from government and governance we cannot change the society. Government and governance is serious business and it requires serious minded people to be involved. It is not enough to criticize people, provide an alternative,” he stated.
Hon. Chinda, who also wrote a poem in honour of the late Ogoni activist which he read to the admiration of the gathering noted that the life of the late environmentalist reemphasises that it is not how long, but how well you live your life, saying, “The life of Patrick should impact on us positively because he lived a good life.”
He revealed that Patrick had motivated him to put something on paper even after he opened up to him that he didn’t have the flair to write a book, saying, “He told me that one thing you need to do to live a mark is not the number of houses you build, not the quantum of wealth you have, but that writing books is one thing that can live you and live your name even after you. That I should start something.
“I am presently writing a book ‘Annotation of the Rules of House of Representatives’. I expect that by the first quarter of next year, that book will be out. It is about 85 to 90 per cent done. I still attribute that (the feat) to that discussion I had with him. It was an encouragement; it is only unfortunate that he is not alive to witness the unveiling of that book,” the federal lawmaker lamented
Hon. Chinda,, a former Commissioner for Environment in Rivers State, however, said that Patrick still lives not because of the things he has left behind, though he will be dearly missed, saying, “We might be mourning, but perhaps the person who has exited is happy because he is going to live a new life, But the thing that behoves all of us is that we must be ready.”
By: Dennis Naku
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
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