Rep. Rimamnde Shawulu, NNPP-Taraba says the 2023 general election is about self preservation for the people of Taraba.
Shawulu made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Shawulu, who represents Takum/ Donga/ Ussa/Yangtu Federal Constituency in the green chambers, said parts of the constituency were under serious attack by bandits and terrorists.
He said the people would vote for only candidates with the capacity to ensure security, education, health and economic development.
“Presently two of my Local Government Areas are facing a serious banditry issue, stemming from different regions. The last death toll was recorded at 100 and the governor has not acknowledged this nor has he issued any statement.
“So contesting this election has become for me and my people an issue of life and death. As I am speaking now hundreds of people are now in the bushes unable to carry out their day to day activities,” he said.
The lawmaker, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but had now defected to the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), said his reason for contesting in 2023 elections was to care for the people.
The NNPP House of Reps candidate said not much benefits had come to the people from the government, saying that PDP allowed individuals without interest of the people to run the party.
According to him, as a matter of fact, if there is anything tangible in the last seven years that the people have received from any government, it has been from his personal efforts.
Shawulu said he was berated by state government officials for putting a short road between Lisam and Takum leading to the Local Government headquarters, in the Federal Government budget for rehabilitation without their permission.
“We have constructed several classroom blocks, provided boreholes; I believe in the 32 wards there have been only two or three wards that have not benefitted from the budget allocations.
“We have done very well in the health sector, in the first year we began free healthcare informative services.
“We have donated essential drugs to hospitals, we have built basic infrastructure that is needed to host an institution of higher learning in Mossa, we have an auditorium, we have classroom blocks that can simultaneously hold 600 students.
“We have constructed a library that can sit 200 people, with over a 100 computers on ground; we will turn it into the best Computer Based Test (CBT) Centre in Taraba,” he said.
In terms of empowerment, the lawmaker said in partnership with the Federal Government, no fewer than 400 people accessed loans ranging from N500,000 to seven million naira to start various businesses.
According to him, as at December 2021, the area had about six functioning rice mills which enabled the farmers to add value to their produce.
Shawulu said he stood against politicians and stakeholders who wanted the funds for projects to end in private pockets.
Shawulu also said he had represented his people very well at the national stage and brought issues affecting the people to the front burner.
He said no lawmaker from Taraba had sponsored more bills and motions that passed in the National Assembly since 1999 than he did.
He expressed confidence that the constituents would vote for him to return to the house for a third term.