By: Elvis Okorn Jnr.
A Case for Cross River Central Senatorial District:
If not for the recent interventions of Hon. Oden Ewa whether born of genuine conviction or election-season benevolence — the Central would have remained a political graveyard- Elvis Okorn Jnr
How Long Shall Excuses Continue?
“A people that make excuses for failure will eventually inherit the consequences of silence.”
This is not an attack. It is a call to conscience — a plea for awakening in a region that has too long traded accountability for sentiment.
Across Nigeria, the story of legislative representation is gradually changing. We are witnessing a renaissance of performance — a new generation of National Assembly members redefining service beyond rhetoric. From Lady Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who, even under suspension, facilitated over seventy appointments into the Nigeria Customs Service, to lawmakers in Akwa Ibom and beyond who are breaking barriers with visible, tangible impacts — the narrative of representation is shifting.
Yet, in the midst of this transformation, Cross River Central Senatorial District stands curiously still — trapped between nostalgia and excuses.
In the North, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has become synonymous with empowerment and development. His projects speak across communities; his visibility and accessibility have become a moral benchmark. In the South, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong is quietly proving that commitment can move mountains. When Cross Riverians cried out, the once-forgotten Okomita–Iwuru Road began to receive long-overdue attention. His engagement and responsiveness are proof that genuine representation can still exist in our state.
But in the Central, silence reigns. Representation has been reduced to a periodic ritual of hollow statements, and unkept promises. For too long, we have perfected the art of defending failure — explaining away the inexcusable, romanticizing mediocrity, and glorifying absentee leadership.
Let’s be honest: if not for the recent interventions of Hon. Oden Ewa whether born of genuine conviction or election-season benevolence — the Central would have remained a political graveyard. It took Oden’s modest efforts before the idea of a town hall meeting even became relevant in Ikom. And since then? Nothing. Absolutely nothing abi another thing dey?
I was ashamed when someone boldly celebrated a toilet project in the police station in Ikom when we see roads in the North and South.
The situation in Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency mirrors the same decay infact worst.
Representation here has been reduced to photo-ops, endless prayers, and an astonishing absence of empathy. Meanwhile, other regions thrive under leaders who understand that public office is a sacred trust, not a personal inheritance.
We want to see our Senator and Representative moving motions, sponsoring bills, standing on the floor of the National Assembly to defend the dreams of our people. We want them present — not just in Abuja, but in the hearts and homes of those they represent. We want them to be felt and touched, not merely seen in filtered photographs.
Our House of Representatives member must rise above the empty choruses of “It is well” and “The Lord is good” — and beyond the endless genuflecting around Peregrino Hall — to deliver on the sacred mandate they swore to defend. Representation is not worship; it is work.
Or maybe, just maybe, Oden Ewa needs to reactivate heavily again for us to see a flicker of action. But that, in itself, would be a tragedy — that the people’s voice must always depend on one man’s momentum to be heard? Chai….mbom
“Accountability is not politics. Demanding performance is not disloyalty.”
How long shall excuses continue? How long shall the deprived find new words to defend those who have failed them?
It is time to ask hard questions — not as an act of rebellion but as a duty to our collective conscience.
