Ademu usman Idakwo, Lokoja.
It is pertinent to know that since 1999 that Nigeria returned to Democratic Rule after long military interregnum, Idah, Ofu, Ibaji and Igalamela Federal Constituency in kogi state which is one of the Nine Federal Constituencies representing the people of the State at the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly have not had it good in terms of adequate and good representations at the House of Representatives in Abuja.
Several representatives who had gone to represent the Federal Constituency had failed to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the constituents. Some after been elected will permanently relocate to Abuja and abandoned the people at home as they thought the mandate given to them was to enrich themselves, cronies and family .
The impact of their representations will not be felt in any community including the village or town where they hailed from .
The only representative whose achievements remained so indelible before the coming of David Zacharia was Barrister Itaka Frank Ineke, an Illustrious son of Ibaji land who selflessly contributed to the socio- economic well-being of the people of the Federal Constituency in terms of gainful employments of the youths into the state and federal institutions.
Itaka’s achievements would have earned him a second term in office but unfortunately lost out in a very controversial way to Mr. Napoleon Idachaba, a case he contested at the Tribunal but eventually lost. Ineke was a house hold name in the federal constituency while holding sway at the House of Representatives in 1999 to 2003.
The eventual defeat of the late Prince Abubakar Audu the then Governor on the platform of the defunct All Peoples Party, APP by Alhaji Ibrahim Idris of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2003 Governorship Election in the state terribly affected the fortune of Mr. Ineke who was flying on the same party for his re-election as a result of bandwagon effects.
Though the Governorship Election in the State was held before National Assembly Election, APP had already lost out of Favour with the electorate not because late Abubakar Audu did not performed but people wanted a change of leadership
Since the exit of Ineke from the seat , the people have been yearning for a true representative until 2019 when David Zacharia stepped into the race.
David Zacharia at primary of All Progressive Congress, APC held in Idah beat other contestants with a wide margin despite internal and external conspiracies to pick the ticket. The distance runner up, Dr. Paul Ebijie scored 27 votes as against 3000 polled by the winner, David Zacharia. Ebijie who displayed rare level of maturity congratulated him and promised to work with him.
The Federal Legislator known for his political doggedness though was under rated by the then incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Emmanuel Makoj Eqwu but History was made as Zacharia thrashed the incumbent on who contested on the People’s Democratic Party, PDP during the general election.
His few months in office as a member of House of Representatives from Idah, Ibaji, Ofu and Igalamela Federal Constituency has been full of events and achievements. David has returned the lost glories to the people as he is busy impacting on the lives of both the old and the young in the Federal Constituency.
Before venturing into politics, Honourable David Zacharia was an accomplished businessman and a philanthropist per excellence. He had a Charity organization called David Zacharia Foundation which he used with his hard earned money to sponsor Orphans to schools, providing shelters for the widows and given financial assistance to traders.
He assisted in renovating many schools which were destroyed by the rain storms and other Natural disasters in various communities in Idah, Ugwolawo and Ajaka as well as EJule his home town in Ofu Local Government Area.
According to old sayings “ Good name is better than gold and riches” David Zacharia has the two and he has utilized it to the benefit of humanity.
He is a true believer of God and does things with the fear of Him.
His achievements just few months in the office has endeared him to friends and foes .
As a workaholic politician and servant of the people, he executed several projects across the federal constituency which include among others installations of Solar power street light in Ejule , Oko okenyi and Ajaka, provision of Hospital beds and equipments to various health centers such as Alloma cottage hospital and Ejule .
He has dug functional bore holes for some communities in Ibaji, Ofu and Igalamela to to ease the water shortage and provide access to portable water.
Ofu, which is one of the Local Government Areas in the Federal Constituency was known for youth restiveness due to unemployments among them but when David Zacharia was elected to the House of Representatives the first he did was to bring the restiveness to a total control in-collaboration with the Leaders of thoughts and relevant stakeholders from the area. Many of the Youths were taken from the streets given sources of livelihood thereby returning peace to the once troubled zone.
He has Also given out scholarship to uncountable numbers of Students schooling at tertiary institutions across the country who are indigenes of the federal constituency.
David Zacharia efforts to better the lots of his people does not know the party divide as he was known to be assisting members of his party, All Progressive Congress, APC and any other people irrespective of party affiliations.
Mr. Daniel Etubi Achor, at one of the presentations of food items and cash donation by the representative of the legislator in Idah to widows recently told the gathering that he decided to dumbed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP prior to the Governorship election Last year because of David Zacharia.
He added that the Federal Legislator attitude towards people irrespective of any affiliation made him to defect to APC to support Governor Yahaya Bello.
Achor was a strong PDP supporter from Ede Alaba ward in Idah Local Government Area said Zacharia has proved to the people of Idah that they are still good men in politics .
Hon. David Zacharia while speaking at interactive function In Ugwolawo , head quarters of Ofu Local Government recently said he will ensure that the impact of his constituency projects will reach all the nooks and crannies of the entire federal constituency adding that governance is all about the people .
He commended Governor Yahaya Bello for given him the needed support to succeed. The Federal Law maker therefore appealed to the people of his constituency to rally round the governor to enable him succeed adding that the governor is determined to ensure peace , harmony and development in every part of the state.
Indeed , the lost Glory has returned to Idah Federal Constituency!
Ademu usman Idakwo,
A Journalist based in Lokoja.
Can be reach through idakwoabdullahi17@gmail.com.
