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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Speaker of House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila has launched ‘ReprezentMe’, a mobile app designed to track the activities of legislators and enhance representative democracy in Nigeria.
Performing the Zoom launch at the weekend, the Speaker said the app will bridge the gap between the legislator and his constituents by ensuring an effective two-way communication system.
Gbajabiamila posited that the role of the legislator was largely misunderstood in Nigeria, but expressed the optimism that the app will help put lawmakers on their toes, while also educating people on what to expect from their representatives.
He applauded the CEO/Founder of ReprezentMe, Victor Mba and his team, saying that the idea was long overdue.
‘Having this application, you’ve done an amazing job, this is your contribution to the development of representative democracy. So, I am excited, very happy and I congratulate you. For me, communication is key,’ the Speaker said.
‘What is representation exactly? It’s being the voice, the eyes of your constituents. That’s what we are here for and you can’t do any of those things without effective two-way communication. Because of a lot of misunderstanding about the role of the legislator, a lot of people get it wrong, they don’t understand the separation of power; what falls on whose lap.
‘That’s why this is a welcome development. We would begin to build our democracy if people understand, then, legislators will be able to communicate with the electorate and vice versa. And that can only be a win-win for everybody. I particularly like the polling feature; the explore feature which you narrated.
‘The end goal must at all times be not for any one person, but for the development of our country. Nobody is a fountain of knowledge. We all have to come together, put heads together, to develop Nigeria.’
In his remarks, Mba said it was the first-ever app that would hold leaders accountable, noting that it will revolutionalise politics and governance in Nigeria.
On the features, he said the groups offer everyone the opportunity to belong to an inclusive and strong connected web of electorates who share the same demography and have equal rights to express their opinions on issues that bother their communities without fear of being kicked out or sanctioned.
He added that there is the widely publicised “Monthly Polls” carried out to assess the performance of representatives, and for every major bill to be subjected to public scrutiny.
‘This is to keep the National Assembly informed on which bills have a positive impact on the people and for actions to be taken,’ he said.
The app also offers individuals and parties contesting elections an affordable and easy election campaign platform that targets a specific audience.
