UCHE NWORAH
The Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who previously spent 16 years in the House of Representatives, has reportedly resigned her ministerial position in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive that all 2027 aspirants step down.
This development raises a number of critical questions. What does she hope to achieve in the House of Representatives now that was not accomplished during her lengthy 16-year tenure? Are there no other competent and qualified individuals within her constituency who can effectively represent the people?
Why not create space for younger, energetic minds with fresh perspectives to contribute to the growth and development of the constituency? Should public office be treated as a lifelong entitlement or an inherited right? It is troubling to imagine a cycle where one individual moves from the legislature to an executive role, only to seek a return to the same legislative position-especially when considering other public positions that individual may have previously occupied.
Minister Onyejeocha is not alone in this pattern. Across the country, including in my state Anambra, many politicians have rotated through multiple public offices over the years and continue to seek new positions. In many cases, their performance records leave much to be desired.
What new ideas are they bringing to the table, beyond the continuation of self-serving agendas? Where are the opportunities for others to step forward and serve? Increasingly, some politicians appear to have turned public office into personal property-occupying positions indefinitely without accountability, much like tenants who neither pay rent nor vacate.
Even more concerning is the growing trend of political succession within families, where children and relatives are positioned to take over public offices. Political opportunities are often distributed within these circles, raising questions about fairness and transparency. Do they believe the public is unaware?
It is little wonder that frustration continues to grow among citizens. When a small group monopolizes state resources for years, leaving the majority struggling for survival, the consequences inevitably manifest in social instability and rising crime.
Under such circumstances, it is hardly surprising that meaningful progress remains difficult to achieve as a nation.
Uche Nworah, Ph.D