5 most vocal House of Reps members in 2020
- The year 2020 has been an eventful year in the House of Representatives
- While some House of Reps members have been very vocal in the green chambers and beyond, others have been somewhat invisible
- The vocal ones have planted themselves into the sub-consciousness for their consistency and contributions to the national discourse
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Nigeria's House of Representatives is filled with intellectuals, professionals in various fields, and indeed, accomplished men and women in the society.
When debates are held in the green chambers, they are robust and filled with top-notch brainstorming, especially on issues of national importance.
But, in the same lower house, there are uninspiring characters who are only there to complete the numbers and partake in the sharing of the 'national cake'.
Legit.ng has taken note of federal lawmakers who have been very active and most especially, very vocal in articulating their thoughts, consistent in calling out the government and pushing for new narratives in Nigeria's complex political environment.
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Listed below are the most vocal House of Reps members in the year under review:
1. Onofiok Luke
At 42, Honourable Onofiok Luke has distinguished himself in Nigeria's political space in less than a decade. After serving as the speaker of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly, Luke got elected into the House of Representatives and has since been a strong voice in national politics.
A law graduate from the University of Uyo, Luke represents Etinan/Nsit Ibom/Nsit Ubium federal constituency in the green chambers. In spite of being a first time member in the House, Luke has been a top performer. He is the chairman, House committee on judiciary and his position makes him one of the most vocal members of the green chambers in the year 2020.
Even as a newbie in the House, he sponsored 14 bills in his first year which further brought him to national consciousness. He has since continued to thrive and position himself as one of the outstanding members of the House of Representatives.
2. James Biodun Faleke
At 60, Faleke has come of age in Nigeria's politics. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2011 and he currently chairs the House committee on finance, and this position naturally makes a Rep member be vocal because of constant interactions with federal agencies, ministries, and parastatals.
Faleke has been very consistent in calling out such government departments who have breached the law or failed to adhere to their duties in the year 2020. This has triggered several confrontations with the federal agencies but Faleke has carried on with his oversight job with dignity, poise, and character that he has been known for since his days as a caretaker administrator in Ojodu local council development area.
3. Muhammed Kazaure Gudaji
A patriotic lawmaker. Jigawa-born Gudaji is perhaps the most vocal lawmaker at the federal level. His insightful contributions to debates distinguish him from his colleagues. Although he provides comic relief for some due to his delivery, no one can fault Gudaji's commitment to national development.
Since his election into the House of Reps in 2019, Gudaji, despite being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has not failed to call out the party or its government when it errs or falls short of the expectations of its admirers and supporters.
This year, the insecurity in northern Nigeria has drawn sharp criticisms from many Nigerian lawmakers. But Gudaji stands out as he continues advocating for solutions to curb the mounting insecurity in the region both in his contributions during plenary sessions and his media engagements outside the lower house.
4. Henry Nwawuba
Nwawuba is not your regular politician. He is one of the very few who have distinguished themselves in the private sector before venturing into politics. He represents Mbaitoli/Ikeduru federal constituency of Imo state and he is currently serving his second term in the House of Representatives. At 51, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) federal lawmaker has shown that there are still decent politicians out there whose priorities are their constituents.
In March this year, he led other lawmakers from the southeast to demand from the federal government the inclusion of the region in infrastructure projects to be funded from the $22 billion loans from international finance agencies vide a petition he presented from the South East Elites.
His contributions to plenary sessions are usually deep, filled with wisdom, and laced with genuine concerns for national development. In May this year, he called on the federal government to develop a SMART 20 year Economic Master-plan and Development Strategy and the motion was unanimously adopted by the House of Representatives.
5. Ndudi Elumelu
His position as the minority leader of the House naturally demands that he is very vocal especially on federal government policies that do not sit well with Nigeria's main opposition party - the PDP. Elumelu is not just a thorough-bred lawmaker, he is popular among his colleagues, especially his party members.
At 55, Elumelu has cemented his place as a respected politician in Nigeria after his second coming in the House. His well-thought-out criticisms of the Buhari's administration put him in the stead of politicians who do their homework well, armed with indisputable facts, before criticising a sitting government.
From rejecting the appointment of a sole administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission, to his insistence on President Muhammadu Buhari appearing before the green chambers and to his consistent advocacy that lawmakers who defect to other parties lose their seats, Elumelu continues to be a voice of reason in the House of Representatives.
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