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| L-R Madam Monica, Hon.Itam Abang and Richard Ocha |
| 6 April 2018 | Ukorebi Esien
Hon. Dr. Mrs. Itam Abang, member representing Boki 1 in the Cross River State House of Assembly has said that she will in due time react to the news of the death of Madam Monica, a constituent which she represents at the Cross River State House of Assembly.
Hon. Itam made this known in a telephone call with TDN when she was called to be informed of Madam Monica's death.
Madam Monica Livinus Ocha passage to glory took place in the early hours of Saturday 31st March 2018 after battling with an unidentified ailment.
It should be recalled that madam Ocha's case was reported on this platform about two months ago when her son, Richard approached the member representing them in the state house of Assembly for assistance and she embarrassed the living life out of the boy.
Hon. Abang was reported to have told Richard:
'That's not my business if you like you bring her here, am I a Doctor? When am done with what am doing here, I will just enter my car and go away.
I was elected to make laws and not to give assistance. After all how many votes did you give me? I spent money in your ward and your people did not vote for me. I lost in your ward'.
Ukorebi who was present at the scene said 'And true to her words as soon as she was done speaking with Hon. Jones Eteng, she zoomed off leaving the poor helpless boy stranded and perplexed'.
When Hon. Abang was contacted through a phone call and informed that madam Monica had finally kicked the bucket, she expressed some level of pains as her voice at the other end of the of the conversation became cool and calm, as she muttered the following words:
'O' wow, uhhmmmm, it's a pity, Hmmmm,
...my pain is that the woman died because I had my own my plans. I didn't think that she will die. It's just a pity that she died.
...Ukorebi I had my plans, there were things I wanted doing but it's rather unfortunate that we lost her'.
In an attempt to air out her grievance concerning a previous Facebook post by our correspondent, reporting her actions against Madam Monica's son, The Hon. explained by saying 'If a boy comes to me for money and I tell him to wait when I am paid I will attain to his needs and you go ahead and publish rubbish against me. ..the painful aspect about it is that I am a mother, there's no way I would have said let your mother go and die'.
'I don't know whether it is a personal vendetta or what? I don't know who I have offended? No Mather what the person has done to you, you call the person and hear from the other side'. She queried.
'I am aware I won't remain in the house of Assembly forever. At God's own appointed time He will take me out of here. It's not in any man's hand'. She added
'It is not in my tradition to react to social media comments, just as everybody has their shortcomings, I also have my own'.
...Many people came to me and said look for money and give this boy, and I said no because I know what that does to people...
...I expected that you would have come to the assembly, before ever this thing gets out, (and ask) ma this is what happened yesterday what was the problem.
...But because you have painted me that way I didn't want to come to you so that it doesn't look as if I am trying to correct the impression you have given or I want to launder my image
Like tell anybody who cares to listen I do things(carry out constituency projects or assist people), I don't put them on papers(media). I am just elected to serve my people and not to launder my image. She concluded.
As it concerns madam Ocha's death, the honorable had this to say,
'It's not in my tradition to react to social media. Whether they abuse me or not I will do what is right, what I think is right. I am not God, am not perfect, like every other person, I have my shortcomings too.
Anyway, thank you for informing me, at the appropriate time I will react. Thank you.
THE GIST OF THE STORY
We are truly all humans with our various shortcomings and imperfections. But I believe that as elected public figures, we should develop the patience to relate with and tolerate overbearing people.
Hon. Itam not attending to Mr. Richard's needs is not the problem in this case. The problem and the crux of the matter is not just her reactions (because like she said, we all have our weaknesses) but where the honorable missed it was in her selection of words.
Let me pick on her two major sentences that hit Richard like a bomb that fateful evening.
1. 'That's not my business if you like you bring her here, am I a Doctor? When am done with what am doing here, I will just enter my car and go away.
For an elected leader to show or even vent out such callous statement, in public to constituents, is a show of gross disregard and disrespect to an office given to her to hold in trust for the people.
How dare you say the problem(s) of your constituent is not your business? A fellow woman like you is sick and needs urgent medical attention and you say that's not your business. That is a shameful act and a disgraceful statement to have flowed out of the lips of an "Honourable Member".
You can't treat even your worst enemy like this.
I understand the said honorable has her personal family issues she is battling with. But that's not an excuse, as a public office holder, it is expected that you keep aside your personal issues while dealing with the public.
If Hon. Itam can't deal with her constituents because of family issues, I suggest she humbly resigns or she should be recalled by her constituents with immediate effect.
2. I was elected to make laws and not to give assistance. After all how many votes did you give me? I spent money in your ward and your people did not vote for me. I lost in your ward'.
I have heard Nigeria lawmakers misuse this statement in several places. As constitutionally correct as that statement may be, but technically they are wrong. Are they any section of the constitution that forbids lawmakers from giving assistance to constituents? Why do they include constituency projects and allowance in the budget if they are not supposed to give assistance or help in the development of their constituencies?
They are really abusing Privileges.
Abeg this people should stop deceiving us with the very constitution meant to protect and empower us.
Why on earth will Hon. Itam Abang brings election issues into official matters of into an issue that has to do with life and death. So because you lost an election in my compound, you now see everyone from that compound as an enemy?
Where then is the place of Politics with ethics we have been preaching?
I have so much to say here but I will leave it to you to respond in the comment area of this blog post.
Ukorebi Esien blogs for Thedailynewsng
He is a politics blogger who tells the Nigerian story one article at a time. All views are his.
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