The Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Legislative Matters, Hon. Lukman Ukara, has raised fresh political dust in Abia North Senatorial District, declaring that zoning without competence is meaningless and insisting that the region urgently needs a new kind of representation in the National Assembly.
Ukara made the assertion during a live political programme on Flo FM 94.9 Umuahia, monitored by All Facts Newspaper, where he delivered a sweeping critique of legislative performance, constituency projects, and political accountability in Abia North.
According to Ukara, zoning remains a political arrangement rather than a constitutional requirement, stressing that it must be driven by capacity, performance, and the availability of better alternatives, not sentiment.
“You don’t zone a position just for zoning sake. You must identify people who can do better than the current occupant. Zoning into a vacuum does not work,” he said.
He explained that communities reserve the right to demand change where long occupancy of power no longer translates to development or effective representation.
When asked directly about the performance of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Ukara said the lawmaker had done his best but noted that nearly three decades in the corridors of power calls for honest reassessment.
He questioned claims of massive road construction credited to the senator, arguing that many of the projects lacked durability, proper supervision, and engineering standards.
“Roads without stone base cannot be called roads. Within three months they disappear. Oversight is part of the job of a legislator if you love the people, you supervise the projects,” Ukara insisted.
Ukara further challenged the senator to publicly account for contractors, project costs, and supervision records, stressing that constituency projects are taxpayers’ money and must be treated with transparency.
He also raised concerns about the quality and impact of bills sponsored, arguing that legislation should directly improve the lives of the people, not exist only for political statistics.
Drawing from his own experience as a former lawmaker, Ukara revealed how he once pursued donor-agency funding frameworks and counterpart funding legislation to attract international development support to Abia — an effort he said was killed by political resistance.
The Governor’s aide also responded to criticisms that political appointees are disconnected from grassroots politics, dismissing such claims as false generalisations.
He said most appointees are deeply rooted in their communities, fund local meetings, mobilize support, and remain active stakeholders.
“Governance and politics are two different phases. Governor Otti has the right people for both seasons, and that is why Abia is making progress,” Ukara stated.
Ukara’s interview signals a growing conversation around political renewal, accountability, and performance-based leadership in Abia North, as the state gradually inches toward the 2027 elections.
His remarks underline a key message: positions must be earned, not inherited, and representation must be felt, not just announced.
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