By Sylvia Etta
Member representing the Akamkpa/Biase Federal constituency in the House of Representative, Hon. Daniel Asuquo (Dansuki), has reacted to rumors that the Akamkpa/Biase caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is nursing the intention to zone the Federal House of Representatives seat which he presently occupies to Biase LGA; describing the move as ill fated and the greatest joke of the year.
Dansuki made this reaction during an interview with newsmen before his consultation for re-election into office with Biase Local Government Chapter of the party, yesterday at the Venetian Arena, Calabar.
Putting it frankly to caucus members nursing such intention, the lawmaker said “that is the greatest joke of the year, zoning is done by the people, it’s not done out of the people; it’s the people that sit down to zone and if we are in PDP, Biase has done eight years; in PDP it’s natural that Akamkpa will do its own eight years and of course, even if there’s no zoning, we have seen the types of those that are coming out, we handled them last time and we will still do it this time again.
“We have been in the National Assembly Representing Akamkpa/Biase in the last three years; it is a tradition or a norm, even though not written, that we share the federal constituency between two local governments and that is between Biase and Akamkpa; and Biase has gone with Alex Ukam for eight years, it is of course natural, by agreement, that Akamkpa should also do its own eight years. So I’m here to formally go through the process of the party, informing the caucus of Biase that we will be taking on the initiative to go to represent them the second time, to ask for their support, which I have already gotten informally.”
The lawmaker enumerated some of his achievements in the last three years in office, which he said include providing employment opportunities to over hundred people in Akamkpa and Biase; the construction of 8km of roads within the constituency; initiating water projects in different communities within his jurisdiction of representation; building class room blocks in different communities; offering free health programs on eye surgery among others.
On why he chose to seek a second term in office, Hon Asuquo said “We have come to representation in Cross River state to set a pace, which nobody can challenge. The records are straight. What I have done now, I expect that I will improve on it much better, of course with cognate experience. You know, the National Assembly, we were just lucky by the grace of God to do what we’ve done in this first term, which I still say that it is the first time a first term member has brought this kind of development, so it stands as a pace for others to follow when it comes to representation at present. If you were there when the governor was speaking, he said those who have performed, they should allow them go back and I think I have those credentials.”
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