Ben Dunno, Warri
Immediate-past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, has identified strategic lobbying both on the floor and outside the hallow chambers as one of the greatest assets of a lawmaker who genuinely desires to attract development to his constituent.
He explained that it only takes a politician with vast experience and understanding of the nation’s political dynamics, in addition to wide spread contacts across the six geo-political zones, irrespective of ethnic and religious barriers to achieve this feat.
The former governor, who is seeking to represent Delta South Senatorial District at the Senate in 2019, said that holding committee chairmanship post or any powerful committee position does not make one a good Senator.
According to him, “Only those who know how to network and possibly do lobbying with contacts built over the years that can attract projects to their people can be described as real Senators”.
Uduaghan who narrated what he did as a governor during the dark days of Niger Delta militancy, as well as quelling communal crisis in Delta State, said that he personally engaged stakeholders, the key actors, traditional rulers and negotiated for peace in the state and the region.
Speaking during a media parley, Uduaghan said that as a former governor, who had garnered much experience in governance, he was better positioned to represent the people of Delta South in the senate come 2019 than anyone who is jostling for the seat.
Said he, “Legislation is about lobbying and being a legislator you must have the ability to lobby. And lobby is easier when you know who you are talking to.
“People in the National Assembly, many of them are my former colleagues whether in the Executive Arm or the National Assembly. Many of them are my friends and they are people we have played politics with for a long time.
“It is easier for me, for instance, to take up my phone and call Fashola for one road project somewhere in Isoko than any other person in the race to do that or call Amaechi that I want this port here than any other person to do that.
“It will be easier for me to talk to them one-on -one whether I am a Senator or not. I will get an appointment for us to meet and talk…
“So what I’m saying in essence is that if you have the capacity it will be easier to get things to your place because it is easier for you to lobby and it is easier to attract development to your area. And I think I have that capacity to lobby and not just to pass whatever bill I’m presenting but to attract development to my constituency.
“One other thing that I think is critical for the National Assembly is that; there are a lot of national issues that are raised in the National Assembly.
“They are national but they affect various region of this country and if you don’t understand the politics and depth of this country you might just stay there and not be able to contribute and see the benefit of that particular issue raised to where you come from.
“Sometime you see people who have being in the National Assembly for four to eight years and you ask what has this man actually done? He was chairman of this, chairman of that but what has he actually done.
“There are deep things in this country that people don’t understand else you are part of it. Of course you know I belong to a Governor’s Forum for eight years.
“There are things that are discussed in the Governors Forum that we will never tell you (press) because we don’t allow journalist coming inside but at the end we do a press briefing on things that are of public consumption.
According to Uduaghan, only those who understand the intricacies and complexity of Nigeria that can better make good legislature and be able to attract development to their area.
Uduaghan, whose administration left an indelible mark in many areas in the state, may likely square up against the incumbent senator representing Delta South, Sen. James Manager, who has been in the upper chamber for 15 years running as well as a Delta Assembly lawmaker, Mr. Michael Diden, aka Ejele in the PDP primaries.
The former governor also said that he had got a broaden knowledge of the happenings in the country to aid his legislative voyage come 2019 than any other contestant in the area.
“My experience as a Governor for eight years has broadened my knowledge of this country. I have knowledge of the intricacies of this country and this country is very complex.
“I refused to talk about what happened yesterday (snatching of mace in upper chambers) and I think it is deeper than what people are seeing….
“So we need to get somebody there who understands the issues so that when the issues are raised you will not just look at it from the surface but also ensure that your area is not short change. So those are the things I thinks qualify me to go into the senate race”.
Uduaghan said that his aspiration to represent the people of Delta South senatorial district is not ethnic based but anchored on his capacity.