Akpabio, Eno, Abbas, others applaud Patrick Umoh over Constituency empowerment

Tony Okoh, Uyo

Member representing Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim and Obot Akara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr Patrick Umoh, has received commendations from the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and the Wife of the Senate President, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, for what they described as impactful and people-oriented representation.

The commendations were made yesterday during the lawmaker’s Constituency Briefing and Mega Empowerment Programme held at the Ikot Ekpene Township Stadium, where Umoh presented more than 700 empowerment items, cash grants and other interventions to constituents across the three local government areas that make up the federal constituency.

The empowerment package included three ambulances, 10 cars, five mini-buses, 55 tricycles, 37 motorcycles, 37 deep freezers and 33 sewing machines.

The lawmaker also distributed 300 bags of fertilizer to 21 beneficiaries and presented ₦20 million in cash grants to selected beneficiaries as part of measures aimed at strengthening economic activities and improving the livelihoods of constituents.

According to Umoh, the interventions were carefully designed to promote self-reliance, strengthen small businesses, support agriculture, create economic opportunities and improve the standard of living of people within the constituency.

He explained that the programme was not simply about distributing physical items, but part of a broader commitment to creating sustainable opportunities for constituents.

“These interventions are not merely physical projects. They are about restoring economic activity, improving security, supporting education and giving our communities a better quality of life,” Umoh said.

Umoh Presents Legislative Scorecard
Beyond the empowerment programme, Umoh used the occasion to present a comprehensive scorecard of his legislative and oversight activities since his election into the National Assembly.

He disclosed that he had facilitated 120 federal jobs, contributed to 66 bills, presented 18 motions and handled 16 public petitions in pursuit of the interests of his constituents and the wider Nigerian public.

The lawmaker also highlighted his leadership responsibilities in the House of Representatives, including his previous chairmanship of the House Committee on Monitoring, Evaluation and Implementation of the Legislative Agenda.

He currently chairs the House Committee on Health Institutions and also serves as Chairman of the Nigeria–Tanzania Parliamentary Relations Committee.

Umoh described the constituency briefing as an opportunity to give an account of his stewardship to the people rather than a declaration that his work was complete.

He assured constituents that he would continue to pursue legislation, development projects, employment opportunities, youth development and empowerment programmes capable of promoting self-reliance and economic advancement.

Representing the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, at the event, the Member representing Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika Federal Constituency, Hon. Clement Jimbo, described the empowerment programme as a clear manifestation of the dividends of democracy.

Akpabio, in his message, described Umoh as his political protégé and expressed satisfaction with the lawmaker’s development and commitment to public service.

“Politics is an engagement, and the people are the instruments. When the dividends of politics are brought home, the polity becomes vibrant, active, hopeful and rewarding,” the Senate President said.

He added: “You have unarguably been my political protégé. Suffice it to say that I am pleased with you. You have walked my footsteps with unalterable assuredness, giving hope that my generation is building a political workforce that would take over from us.”

The Senate President urged Umoh to sustain the momentum and continue to use his position to impact positively on the lives of his constituents.

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah, also commended Umoh for bringing federal interventions closer to the people.

Uwah described the programme as a demonstration of what effective representation should look like.

“This is what effective representation looks like. This federal constituency is very strategic, like I said before, because this is the home of the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” he said.

He commended the lawmaker for strengthening the relationship between the people and their elected representative while ensuring that federal opportunities reached the grassroots.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, who was represented by the Leader of the House, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, also applauded Umoh’s performance.

Abbas described the lawmaker as a young, intellectually sound and courageous representative who had demonstrated vision in serving his constituents.

“The people of this constituency are very, very lucky. You are lucky you have a young man. You are lucky you have an intellectual. You are lucky you have a man who has courage and vision,” the Speaker said.

He urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the items and financial resources given to them, stressing that empowerment should translate into sustainable businesses, increased income and improved living standards.

The Speaker further assured constituents who did not benefit from the current intervention that their opportunity would come, expressing confidence that subsequent empowerment programmes would be bigger.

The Wife of the Senate President, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, commended the initiative, particularly the attention given to women and youths.

She expressed appreciation to Umoh for bringing stakeholders together to witness the presentation of the empowerment items and for prioritising the needs of his constituents.

“We have seen some of the items, and we sincerely appreciate Dr Patrick Umoh for remembering and prioritising his constituents, particularly the women and youths,” she said.

Unoma Akpabio also noted that the interventions were taking place within the broader leadership framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commending the lawmaker for embracing an approach that focuses on empowering citizens to become economically productive.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, Envoy Nsentip Akpabio, described Rep. Umoh as an epitome of effective representation.

The three local government chairmen in the federal constituency also expressed satisfaction with the lawmaker’s performance.

They spoke through the Chairman of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Hon. Aniefiok Nkom.

In his goodwill message, Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien, who spoke on behalf of stakeholders, said Umoh had diligently discharged the core responsibilities of a legislator, particularly in the areas of lawmaking, oversight and representation.

He said the empowerment programme demonstrated that legislative representation could go beyond debates and motions in Abuja to produce tangible benefits for people at the grassroots.

The event attracted political leaders, traditional rulers, community stakeholders, party leaders, youth groups, women and other constituents from Ikot Ekpene, Essien Udim and Obot Akara.

The presentation of the empowerment items was accompanied by a detailed account of the lawmaker’s legislative stewardship and interventions since assuming office.

The programme therefore served both as an empowerment initiative and an accountability platform through which constituents were informed about the activities, achievements and interventions of their representative at the National Assembly.

With the distribution of vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles, sewing machines, deep freezers, agricultural inputs, cash grants and other support, stakeholders at the event described the initiative as a significant intervention aimed at strengthening livelihoods and expanding economic opportunities across the federal constituency.

For Umoh, however, the programme represents only another step in an ongoing commitment to his constituents, as he pledged to continue pursuing opportunities, development projects, employment, legislation and interventions that would translate government presence into tangible benefits for the people.