2027: Constituency Projects Not For Self Adulation Says Obidigwe

Candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and immediate past representative for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency, Hon. Chief Benjamin Chinedu Obidigwe, has drawn attention to what he described as a sharp difference between his approach to constituency projects and that of his successor who is the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Aniekwe.

Obidigwe alleged that projects initiated by him while at the National Assembly had his names removed from them by his successor Aniekwe there by laying claim to it’s ownership.

Though Aniekwe could not be reached but his supporters have denied the allegation contending that there are no project by Obidigwe that he hijacked adding that some of those projects where not executed.

But Obidigwe insisted that it actually happened while meeting with the leadership and members of Aguleri National Youth Association (ANYA) during the association’s annual August conference in Aguleri, where he also engaged the youth on his plans to return effective and inclusive representation to the constituency.

Obidigwe succeeded Dr. Tony Nwoye as the representative of Anambra East and West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, while Aniekwe subsequently succeeded Obidigwe.

He explained that constituency projects often involve a process that extends beyond the tenure of the legislator who initiates them.

A legislator may identify a need, facilitate a project and secure its approval or inclusion in the budget, but execution may not take place immediately.

Consequently, a project initiated by one legislator can be executed after that legislator has left office.

According to Obidigwe, this was the situation with some projects initiated by his predecessor, Dr. Tony Nwoye, before Nwoye left the House.

Obidigwe said that when he took over from Nwoye, some of the projects Nwoye had initiated were yet to be executed.

Rather than removing Nwoye’s name or claiming personal credit when the projects were eventually implemented, he allowed his predecessor to retain the glory for the projects he had initiated.

He said the decision was deliberate and reflected his philosophy of public service: that the important thing was for constituents to benefit from a project, rather than for the serving legislator to claim every available credit.

But Obidigwe said he did not receive the same treatment from his successor, Aniekwe.

According to him, some projects he initiated before leaving the House continued through the approval and execution process after Aniekwe took over.

He alleged that, instead of allowing him the same recognition he had extended to Nwoye, Aniekwe removed or failed to retain his name and contribution in relation to some of those projects.

That, Obidigwe suggested, was the reason he was now putting the matter on record.

He stressed that his revelation was not driven by a desire for personal glory, insisting that his conduct towards Nwoye demonstrated that he was prepared to give credit to a predecessor when it was deserved.

The APGA candidate said the difference between the two approaches was significant because constituency projects should not be treated as the personal property of whoever happens to occupy the legislative seat at the time of execution.

Rather, he argued, the proper approach is to recognise the chain of responsibility — the legislator who conceived and initiated the project, the government agencies that approved and implemented it, and, most importantly, the constituents who ultimately benefit from it.

Obidigwe’s position was that a successor does not lose anything by acknowledging the contribution of a predecessor. Conversely, he said, denying or erasing a predecessor’s contribution cannot change the history of how a project came about.

He said he had chosen not to make the matter a major political issue earlier because his priority had always been the welfare of the people.

“I allowed my predecessor, Dr. Tony Nwoye, to take the glory for projects he initiated before leaving the House because what mattered to me was that our people benefited. Unfortunately, my successor did not extend the same courtesy to me,” Obidigwe said.

He said his decision to speak about the issue now was for record purposes, rather than an attempt to claim credit for projects already delivered to the people.

He promised that, if elected in 2027, he would pursue an all-inclusive youth empowerment programme covering the federal constituency and urged the people of Anambra East and West, particularly the youth, to support APGA in the January 16, 2027 election.

He promised to restore what he described as effective, accountable, and all-inclusive representation to the constituency.