- Safiu Kehinde
A member of the Senate representing Ebonyi North Central Senatorial District, Sen. Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, has come under heavy backlash after urging the Federal Government to relocate owners of old houses he sees while landing at the Abuja airport.
The lawmaker had raised the concern while supporting a motion during that red chamber’s plenary session on Tuesday.
As captured in a video shared on X, Nwaebonyi solicited for the National Assembly’s support of the ongoing infrastructural transformation projects of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
He however urged the Minister to extend the transformation to an area around the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport.
As described by the Ebonyi lawmaker, the said area is an eyesore that does not represent the good image of Nigeria.
“Mr. President, I rise to support this bill. I’m doing that by considering what I can describe as total infrastructural transformation that is ongoing in FCT today.
“The effort requires the cooperation of the parliament to enable the Honourable Minister, Nyesom Wike to continue to continue his good works.
“Another area I will like to use this medium to draw the attention of the FCT Minister is the people living within the Abuja airport. Mr. President, I want the FCT Minister to extend his infrastructural development of this city within the surroundings of the Abuja airport.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, if you are descending into Abuja airport, the habitants, the type of infrastructure within the environment does not represent the good image of this country.
“And I think that the FCT Minister should.capture in their next budget, if not incorporated in this, to either relocate the inhabitants of the people within the airport or renew the area.
“Because that is the middle of the country as we are descending into Abuja airport.
“Some of us, if you take into account to view the environs of the airport while descending into Abuja, you will agree with me that it is an eyesore.
“It doesn’t give good image of the nation and I think something has to be done about it.” He said.
Reacting to the lawmaker’s suggestion, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, tried to confirm the specific area Nwaebonyi is referring to as he hinted the modern infrastructures that surrounded the airport environment.
Nwaebonyi would then specifically pointed out a village behind the airport as the area of concern.
“If you are descending from the airport, the first place you see on the right is the Presidential wing.
“Thereafter, you come across a very beautiful flyover which is almost like a boulevard. You understand.
“And you will now descend towards the road that comes to the airport. Then you get towards the airport road, you will now see headlands complete with street lights, particularly in the night, very beautiful. So which part gives you cramp in your stomach?” Akpabio had said before Nwaebonyi referred to the village which he claimed to be within the capital territory.
While trolling the lawmaker, the Senate President maintained that the village belongs to the local residents.
“That is somebody’s village. The owners of those village that is what they can afford. But are you saying that we should go to those villages and evacuate them so that when your plane is coming down, what you will see is high rises? No I want to understand. You are talking about when you look out of the window, you want to see beautiful Chinese infrastructure? That definitely belongs to people!” He said.
The lawmaker reiterated his claims that it dent the village defaced of the country.
While the Senate President’s further troll stirred laughter in the upper chamber, he cited Akwa-Ibom airport as another instance, noting the presence of graves and water in the vicinity.
“You are Excellency, this is a capital territory of Nigeria and we are talking about the image of the nation.” Nwaebonyi said.
“Okay so the image of the nation starts where your plane is descending? What happens to a place like Akwa-Ibom that when you descend, you see water and see graves? So we should eliminate the graves?” Akpabio asked.
The Senate President eventually put the suggestion on a voice vote with the lawmakers uniformly dismissing the suggestion with an echoing ‘nay’ response.
This would however not end in the hallowed chamber as the Ebonyi lawmaker faced further backlash from netizens.
“Nothing good comes from ebonyi”@ImmanuelMick
“Am not surprised, his from Ebonyi state the most backward and poorest state in the Southeast. Educationally disadvantaged to the extent that they are bereft of ideas that is why they can’t make any meaningful contribution that will promote economic growth and development.”@NelsonClin22787
“Says the one that is from the poorest state in the south and also his people are backwards”@anaga_bana
“Akpabio may have his shortcomings, but he’s displayed a level of emotional intelligence sorely missing in today’s leadership. This is what you get when power is handed to people who are mentally impoverished and emotionally detached.” @AfamDeluxo
“So the indigineous gbagyi should be displaced because you dont like to see their villages?, Nigeria is a burden to every indigineous group and its time everyone is limited to their ancestral land.”@Omolayo.
“On a serious note, Ndi Igbo, we have to do better. We can’t have such people representing us. The level of mediocrity these men display is alarming. We must be deliberate in choosing, and it has to be the best of us, not these empty barrels.” @Superstasurgeon.
“Is he mad or what? I read and thought it was an agenda until I listened! Common sense is indeed not common cos common sense would have just been to build nice houses for the villagers around the airport. But no, Nigerians must suffer and Politicians must be stupid.”@Kanrabbai.
“Go his state and see how bad it is. Senator, You doesn’t like seeing peoples old houses but your state is the mother of bush houses”@EzeFreemanU