“Who Is Solomon to Ask for My Achievements?” — Ezengwori Queries
...Njaba lawmaker challenges former aide to produce facts, says representation should not be reduced to political propaganda
By Kelechi Ugo
The member representing Njaba State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ozioma Ebonine Worship popularly called "Ezengwori", has questioned the basis of a recent criticism of his legislative performance by one Mr. Solomon Okebata, describing the attempt to measure his representation through political attacks as misplaced.
Ezengwori, while reacting to the issues raised by Okebata, challenged the former aide and media adviser to explain the yardstick he is using to assess the performance of an elected legislator, stressing that legislative representation should be evaluated through facts, records, constituency engagement and the impact of interventions rather than political rhetoric.
The controversy followed a statement in which Okebata highlighted several legislative initiatives associated with Ezengwori’s predecessor, Hon. Uju Onwudiwe, and challenged the incumbent to identify what he described as a “measurable achievement” delivered to Njaba Constituency since 2023.
But the question being raised by supporters of Ezengwori is whether a former aide, political associate or concerned citizen should be allowed to unilaterally determine what constitutes achievement in legislative representation.
“Who Is Solomon to Set the Examination?”
At the centre of the emerging controversy is the question: Who is Solomon to demand a personal scorecard from an elected representative without first presenting a balanced assessment of the lawmaker's responsibilities and legislative activities?
Supporters of Ezengwori argue that the House of Assembly is primarily a legislative institution and that lawmakers perform several constitutional functions, including lawmaking, representation, motions, oversight and advocacy on matters affecting their constituencies.
They therefore contend that measuring a legislator's performance exclusively by physical projects may give the public an incomplete picture of legislative work.
According to them, constituency representation also involves raising issues affecting communities, participating in debates, supporting motions, engaging government agencies and advocating for infrastructure and other interventions.
Predecessor's Record Cannot Become a Weapon Against Successor
While acknowledging that former lawmakers may have left behind legislative proposals and initiatives, Ezengwori's camp questions the attempt to use such records as an automatic indictment of the incumbent.
They argue that every administration operates within its own political, economic and institutional circumstances.
The fact that a predecessor sponsored or supported a particular legislative proposal does not, by itself, establish that a successor has failed.
The proper question, according to the lawmaker's supporters, should be what Ezengwori has done within his own mandate, the legislative activities he has participated in, the issues he has raised and the interventions he has pursued for Njaba.
On the A-Line–Ukwuoji Road
The controversy also touched on the A-Line to Ukwuoji road, with Solomon questioning the attention being given to the road as another election approaches.
However, Ezengwori's camp is expected to insist that infrastructure projects cannot be reduced to political sound bites or personal ownership by individual politicians.
Where a road requires government intervention, the responsibility of a legislator is to raise the matter, advocate for the people and engage the appropriate executive authorities.
A lawmaker does not personally control the state machinery responsible for awarding, funding or executing road projects.
Consequently, the failure to personally execute a road project cannot automatically be presented as proof that a legislator has done nothing for his constituency.
“Facts, Not Personal Attacks”
The controversy has also attracted attention because of Solomon's previous working relationship with Ezengwori.
Having reportedly served as the lawmaker's Personal Assistant and media adviser, Solomon's criticisms have naturally generated questions about the background and motivation of his intervention.
However, rather than dwelling on their past relationship, Ezengwori's camp is challenging all parties to place the facts before the public.
If there are specific legislative promises allegedly made by the lawmaker and not fulfilled, they should be identified.
If there are motions, bills, interventions or constituency engagements that are being disputed, the records should be produced.
And if there are projects allegedly promised by Ezengwori but abandoned, the locations, dates and circumstances should be clearly stated.
That, according to his supporters, would enable the people of Njaba to make an informed judgment.
Njaba Deserves Constructive Political Debate
As the next electoral cycle approaches, political disagreements are inevitable.
But what Njaba needs, according to stakeholders, is a political conversation based on verifiable facts rather than insults, sensational claims or attempts to discredit individuals.
The people of Njaba deserve to know what their representatives have done.
They also deserve to know what government agencies, previous administrations and other elected representatives have done.
Above all, voters deserve the opportunity to compare records objectively.
The Real Test Is the People
For Ezengwori, the ultimate judges of his representation are not political commentators or former aides, but the people of Njaba State Constituency.
If Solomon believes the lawmaker has failed, he is entitled to his opinion.
But supporters of Ezengwori insist that the people should be presented with the full facts and allowed to decide whether the incumbent has represented them effectively.
The emerging debate therefore goes beyond a personal exchange between two individuals.
It raises a larger question about how political performance should be measured in Njaba: Should legislative representation be judged solely by physical projects, or should legislation, advocacy, oversight, motions, constituency engagement and interventions also form part of the assessment?
For Ezengwori's camp, the answer is clear: the people deserve facts, not political propaganda.
And as the political atmosphere in Njaba gradually heats up, the lawmaker's supporters say they are ready to defend his record with facts and challenge his critics to do the same.
“You cannot rewrite the record of a representative simply because another election is approaching. Let the facts speak.”
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