Constituents, mainly students, from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, have threatened to begin a process of recalling the Senator representing them in the National Assembly, Mr. Ben Bruce. The aggrieved constituents accused the common sense senator of neglecting them and having no plans for his constituency, which comprises Nembe, Brass and Ogbia local government areas, Bayelsa State. Leaders of student bodies for the three local government areas made their grievances known Tuesday in a statement.
The statement was signed by Samuel Tari (Nembe), Ambrose Joseph (Brass) and Mark John (Ogbia). They lamented that the senator was not in good relationship with his people and had continued to shy away from his constitutional responsibilities. They cried out that the senator was donating relief materials to people in other states when his constituents were wallowing in poverty with many students unable to pay their fees. Besides, they said since he was elected, Bruce had not visited his people.
They said: “Since Bruce became a senator, he has failed to look into the basic needs and challenges currently bedeviling the East Senatorial Districts, such as issues of education, as most of our students cannot access good quality education. “He has failed to attract a single project to the districts in terms of infrastructures, roads and others. He has continuously and deliberately ignored efforts by the people to create a working relationship that will bring out purposeful leadership for our people.
“He is yet to fulfil any of his campaign promises; painfully, he is an Abuja-based senator. He refuses to visit his constituency, except only once when he visited his hometown and couldn’t even stay for up to four hours. “Sincerely, we are tired; other places are enjoying the benefits that come from having a national representative. Our case has been a curse rather than a blessing. We are just like a district without a senator. This why we are intended to change that narrative”.
The student leaders gave the senator a 10-day ultimatum, to amend his ways or face consistent protest and the recall process. They asked the senator to organise a town hall meeting with his constituents and take out time to tour his constituency.
“We are, hereby, giving him an ultimatum of 10 days, starting from 21st August. If he fails to meet with us, we shall take our protest to the National Assembly. “We will mobilize all the students, our mothers and our fathers. We will initiate his recall process. Our people deserve a better treatment from him. We request to have a town hall meeting.”
