As she continues to drive conversations ahead of National Assembly election on February 25, Hon Mrs Juliet Egbo, the All Progressive Congress candidate for Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, featured in a candid discussion on justice, policy and equality with the members of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Enugu Branch (South East Nigeria).
It was ones again an opportunity for lawyers to interact with Mrs Egbo as it’s concern civil justice and other issues they want her to address at the National Assembly, as soon as she is elected into the House of Representatives.
Addressing the lawyers, Mrs Egbo said, “We want to hear from as many stakeholders as we can. If I am elected as a National Assembly member, no subject of public interests is off limit.
“I am ready and willing to go into the lion’s den and speak the truths on all issues of public interests. My constituents will be heard on every motion and bill.”
“I’m running for three reasons: one, to restore the soul and decency in the Constituency; two, to bring about positive change to rural men and women; the rural children must be in school with best of reading desks, libraries with modern books, equipped laboratories and water; and three, to attract federal presence to Enugu North and South Federal Constituency. I must legislate on infrastructure plans — roads, highways, bridges, health, skills for our youths and.women et cetera — and the other one is what I call the “care economy” for our aged parents,” she said.
“Nothing is being done to support the elderly, especially the poor. Therefore, if you vote for me to win the election on February 25, I am looking at motions and bills that will expand and give free compulsory health insurance to any Nigerian citizen 70 years of age and above retired from the formal and informal sector.”
Continuing, she said, “while the lawmakers have their role to play, we cannot do the job unless the judicial is directly involved.”
She said Nigerian lawyers have made selfless sacrifices that have fine-tuned our electoral process and set tremendous difference in our democracy since 1999.
“Even though Nigerian lawyers have no artilleries, yet they are exceptional men and women comprising the finest legal luminaries, bravely tackling a host of challenges from conventional threats to helping prevent total collapse of our democracy,” Mrs Egbo said.
She promised to champion legislation to combat hunger, improve maternal health care, address the climate crisis affecting rural farmers in her constituency and “rebuild our economy, reduce child poverty, and pass an infrastructure law that will lift up communities that have been left behind.”
On how to tackle workers strife in Nigeria, Mrs Egbo said she plans to bring to the floor of the National Assembly motions to expand workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain, even as she promised to stand up for women’s rights — “supporting women in our workforce, addressing the maternal health crisis, and defending reproductive rights.”
Mrs. Egbo has a long record of speaking out against injustice, she views her candidacy to the National Assembly as an opportunity to champion people’s oriented representation at the lower chamber.
In everything she does, she remains focused on her people —and their collective future.
By Chidipeters Okorie