Jubilation as Ogah shares N60m Christmas gifts to constituents

 From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Photo Caption

Pix shows Chief Amobi Ogah handing over palliatives to a widow

It was jubilation galore on Sunday, December 24, 2023, at the Onuaku country home of the member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Chief Amobi Ogah, in Isuikwuato local government area of Abia State as he spread the joy of Christmas by sharing various gifts worth about N60 million to the less privileged and other members of his constituency.

A thousand of widows, persons with disabilities, the needy, party leaders, members of support groups and other stakeholders who thronged the lawmakers home received rice, wrappers and cash to enable them to enjoy the 2023 Christmas celebrations.

Hon. Ogah who personally gave out the gifts to his constituents, from start to finish, said he adopted the approach because the emerging political trend in the country requires politicians to maintain constant touch with the people. He assured his constituents that he has prioritized their welfare, in addition to the physical development of the federal constituency.

The federal lawmaker charged his constituents to be united at all times, warning that they would be the losers if the area was embroiled in crises, intra-party or inter-party bickering.

Chief Ogah said with his eventual triumph in the legal battle plotted to deny him of his genuine mandate, he was now better positioned to discharge his primary responsibility to his constituents.

“My kind of politics is not to indulge in impoverishing my constituents. I have come to work for you, I have come to build. In unity, we will achieve more. Avoid crises because you (constituents) will be the losers. The elections are over, we are now one,” he said, adding “I ask you to continually pray for me to succeed.”

Speaking with newsmen after sharing the Christmas gifts, the lawmaker dismissed the views that he was doing the Christmas charity because of his new status as a federal lawmaker, revelling that he has been performing the same thing since the past 10 years.

“Today (every December 24th) is a day that I have always set aside to celebrate with widows. But today (December 24, 2023) is very special. We added both our constituents and the leadership of the party and other stakeholders. The reason is because we have gone to the National Assembly to represent them, not just to speak for them but to identify with what concerns them.

“You know that today, things are hard for everybody and, for me, the only thing that can put happiness in my heart is to see my people so happy. I want them to be happy. I want them to celebrate the Christmas like I am celebrating in my house. It takes a lot from me. You know that beyond Politics, I have a business. So, even if I didn’t get much from politics, I still have business that can put happiness in me, in the life of my constituents,” he said.

“What we are trying to do, is not the issue of coming from the National Assembly. Giving comes from the heart; it is not about your position. If you are concerned about your people, because now, I have their mandate, whether things are good or bad, not minding my legal battles, I will continue to improve the welfare of my constituents.

“In fact, nobody expected this, even my constituents were not expecting anything but I told them that I don’t have a reason to fail you because when I was coming out for this (election, contesting against an incumbent who has been there for 16 years,) I know that challenges must be there, pulling down the person I succeeded was a huge task and I prepared for it. So I don’t have any reason not to give to my people, to say, ah, because of court cases, I will not take care of them. I am equal to the task. When you come here (my residence), you will know that I prepared for leadership,” Amobi said.

Speaking on his performance so far and what his constituents should expect going forward, Amobi said that the future holds a lot of goodies for his people.

“The primary need of the people is the protection of their lives and property. Whatever you want to do for them, if they are not safe, they will not feel your presence or governance.

“So what we have done, from the first day we entered National Assembly, was to speak and fight the insecurity which pervaded our constituency. When I joined the National Assembly, the issue of insecurity was overwhelming; people could not even pass through the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway, not to talk of local routes. But today, you can see what is happening in our (federal government) collaboration with the state government. So, we have been doing a lot.

“And you know the way we work and what we achieve is determined by what we attract through the budget. I am assuring my constituents that by the time the 2024 budget rolls out, they will see the magic; they will see that the person they sent there, my concern is for my constituents and I believe they will not be disappointed,” he said.