By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Chairman of the defunct Presidential Special Investigative Panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has revealed his reason for wanting to become a Senator in the Tenth Senate.
He spoke through a message meant for his senatorial district electorates, copy of which he sent to The DEFENDER at the weekend, stating his wealth of experience in national and international politics of legislation.
He said: “I know the inside intricacies of National Politics, having been an active player for more than a decade. I known the intricacies and mechanics of the working of Federal Government. So, I will naturally and inevitably tap and utilize all these contacts, connections, and networks if you elect me into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said in the message meant to address his senatorial district electorates.
Obono-Obla continued, “On the contrary, if you elect a novice, it would take him not less than three years to learn the ropes that will allow him to navigate and maneuver the labyrinth of National politics,” knowledge of which, according to the message he already acquired.
“I have great knowledge of national and international events and trends. I am an expert in international business law and principles. I will be a good legislator considering my experience as an advocate in court and public speaker. I already have a National voice. So Parliamentarian work is my natural Forte.
“I know and indeed am very conversant with the history, tradition, culture, and ethnography of the Ekoi-Ejagham people that make up the central senatorial district of the Cross River State to be just and fair to everyone. I am naturally a man of justice and fairness. I loathe all shades of injustice, oppression, discrimination, and marginalization. I have fought these issues resolutely and squarely all my life in the court of law and the court of Public opinion,” Okoi Obono-Obla said.
The senatorial aspirant has international and national contact, connections, and network that is considered to be unprecedented in the country, stemming from 32 years of law practice, social advocacy for human rights, transparency and accountability.
With more than ten years of experience in political party management and administration and three years working in the highest echelon of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the legal icon has is believed to be an asset not only for his senatorial district, if elected, but also for the entire country as he is said to have capacity for quality legislative processes that would make a better country.
Okoi Obono-Obla’s experience also included his service as Secretary of the Joint Inter-Party Merger Committed that negotiated the formation of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013, during his days a chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the political party formed and of which President Muhammadu Buhari was Chairman, Board of Trustees.
That top job, it was gathered, exposed him to huge political leverage and network that includes interaction with the highest levels of political connection and network within the governing party in the country.
