How I Will Approach Governance as a Federal Lawmaker
“If you find your imagination cannot stop itself from churning out the scripts of the death machines, pull its plug. Dismantle it. Reprogram it. Dream daylight. Manufacture daylight.” — Krista Franklyn
“Every society must attempt to answer questions about how it should be organized, usually on the basis of its own historical experience but sometimes also on the experiences of other societies.” — Thomas Piketty
Nigeria is at a fatal crossroads. Its economy is in decline and inflation is impoverishing millions by the weeks, and months. It also cannot engineer productivity no matter how much it pretends to try, its governance model is its eternal poison, and thus, its governing elite is completely clueless at statecraft, or even at doing the ‘basics’.
Regardless, I have always strongly (and stubbornly) believed that all Nigeria needs is a small, yet dedicated cohort of people to re-engineer it towards a path of functionality, and mass prosperity. Its conditions are not peculiar; nation-states and societies that have thrived throughout history and the ones that are currently on the hegemonic ascendance (see China) demonstrate this aforementioned characteristic: a dedicated cohort or a visionary head.
While I am inconsequential, and a tiny pinch of water in a furious floodwater, I strongly believe I can be a major actor in getting Nigeria back on track in the forthcoming 2–3 decades. Call me ‘delulu’ but I am simply going to get this done!
How?
My first principles lens combined with some needed pragmatism burdens me to understand that federal elective office should be my first berth towards dream “rescue Nigeria”.
Thus, I want to start with serving Nigerians dutifully as a federal lawmaker representing Oron Federal Constituency as their representative in the House of Representatives in 2027 and this is how I will approach it when I win (there will be no mentions of constituency projects and rice sharing):
My approach to lawmaking on the federal level will focus on addressing the fundamentals with basic, yet impactful, legislative ideations.
Nigeria’s prosperity hinges on infrastructure development and industrial growth, with rural development as the linchpin of economic progress — my decade-long experience as a knowledge worker in diverse capacities has led me to this conclusion.
Instead of perpetuating further urban congestion, I believe in empowering our rural and semi-urban areas. This involves the promotion of vocational education (TVET) to create jobs and skills in underserved communities. By engineering circular economies and pushing for sustainable development, I aim to play a part in reducing the divide between Nigeria’s economic agents and creating a more balanced, resilient national economy. Thus, a TVET Revitalization bill to overhaul Nigeria’s vocational education system to promote job creation in rural and semi-urban areas will be a paramount legislative contribution from my end.
Decentralized governance is another key pillar. States should have the autonomy to implement policies on security, energy, and education, tailored to their unique needs. A more localized approach to security, through the Decentralized Security & State Policing Bill, will improve accountability and enhance protection in communities.
Similarly, I believe in a private-sector-driven approach to energy policymaking — Nigeria is ridiculously energy-poor and we need all the prescriptive work that is attainable. A Renewable Energy Development Bill will incentivize investments in solar, small HEP, biogas (solid waste-to-electricity, agriculture waste et sewerage), wind, and long-duration battery storage (LDES) projects. Nigeria’s vast potential in renewable energy can be unlocked with the right legislative framework, as we’ve seen in places like Texas, and even on the continent like Egypt (shoutout to my oga, Mohamed Shaker El-Markabi).
As you know (if you read a lot of economic history books as I do), economic transformation requires a focus on industrial policies that strengthen key sectors like steel, petrochemicals, aluminum, cement, and nowadays OEMs and I.T. infrastructure. These old industries are vital for building Nigeria’s manufacturing base, and an Industrial Policy & Value-Chain Strengthening Bill will provide the necessary support for their growth. Expect some supply-side economics thinking to form the precepts of this particular bill — China’s industrial ascendance in the past four decades has helped to strengthen my belief in this approach.
Gender justice is another key area where my legislation will create a profound impact. In addition, I am staunchly pro-women and I believe in feminism. The Gender Justice and Opportunities Bill (it has been lowballed at least three times in the National Assembly since 2015) will ensure that women are granted their inalienable and constitutionally-backed equal rights and economic opportunities across all sectors. This is not just about fairness — it is about unlocking Nigeria’s full potential by ensuring everyone has the tools and opportunities to contribute regardless of time-honored socio-cultural peculiarities of the plethora of societies that make up Nigeria. Together with feminist CSOs, women groups, and female legislators in the National Assembly, we will finally get this bill across the line (the crux of my job will be winning as many male legislators as possible in the bicameral assembly on our side to back the bill and other gender-justice related bills). I will do everything humanly possible for the collaboration to get this done. My life, my sweat, my tact, and my voice!
Those who are acquainted with me know how passionate I am about fighting inflation in Nigeria — it kills, steals, and destroys. Tackling inflation is paramount. Through an Inflation Control Bill, I will push for tighter fiscal and monetary coordination between the Central Bank and fiscal authorities to stabilize prices and curb inflation.
Everyone knows that a nation’s prosperity is also tied to its land. I also do not like our Land Use Act because it is anti-growth. With a repeal, and an additional Innovative Land Reforms Bill, we will modernize land ownership and management systems, ensuring equitable land access, particularly for rural farmers and entrepreneurs.
Data is the backbone of policy-making. That is exactly why I will sponsor the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Amendment Bill, which will strengthen Nigeria’s statistical capacity, ensuring that our policies are informed by accurate, real-time data.
An amendment to the current Electoral Act is essential to save Nigeria’s democracy from the looming threat of state capture. My proposed amendment bill idea will shield INEC from political influence by transferring appointment powers to the National Judicial Council. Key provisions will mandate electronic voting, streamline election dispute resolutions, and expand voting rights to Nigerians abroad. These reforms will ensure fairer elections and restore trust in our representative democracy. I will take this fight to the establishment (bring it on!).
Passing these bills will require the most audacious and combative efforts in the House, but I will remain focused on building consensus, ensuring these reforms are not only proposed but enacted to benefit all Nigerians.
Finally, the future of our nation’s workforce rests on skills development. A National Apprenticeship Scheme Bill will establish a private-sector-led and gender-equity-compliant apprenticeship program to bridge the gap between education and employment (shoutout to the Igba-Boi Apprenticeship System by Igbo Nigerians for the inspiration). By equipping young Nigerians with the skills they need, we will address youth unemployment and engineer an era of innovation and entrepreneurship.
My goal is clear: to show that basic governance, done right, can generate mass prosperity for all Nigerians. This isn’t about grandiose promises. It is about tackling the basics — ensuring decentralized governance, engineering industrial growth, and creating opportunities for all, especially in rural areas. I am running for office to make sure these basics are addressed, and I will not rest until we do.
This is how I will approach governance: with focus, systems thinking, and a relentless commitment to getting the basics right.
“The poet or the revolutionary is there to articulate necessity, but until the people themselves apprehend it, nothing can happen” — James Baldwin
