By Lucky Akoza
Residents of the Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency have erupted in anger over what they described as an embarrassing and reckless display at the National Assembly, following the controversial conduct of their representative during plenary, which many now see as a direct assault on democratic accountability.
The lawmaker at the centre of the storm, Ejiroghene Francis Waive, was accused by constituents and political leaders of placing personal ambition above public duty, with critics describing his behaviour on the floor of the House as provocative, insensitive and completely detached from the yearnings of Nigerians for credible electoral reforms.
Community leaders across Ughelli and Udu said Waive’s conduct has further exposed what they described as a troubling pattern of political arrogance and disregard for public opinion, insisting that his latest action amounts to a betrayal of the mandate freely given to him by the people.
Tension peaked on Tuesday at the House of Representatives (Nigeria) when several lawmakers staged a dramatic walk out from the Green Chamber to protest what they openly described as a calculated attempt to sabotage the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, with aggrieved members chanting “APC Ole!” as they exited the chamber.
The walkout followed a highly controversial motion moved by Waive, in his capacity as Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, seeking to reverse the House decision of December 23, 2025, on the provision for electronic transmission of election results, a move widely condemned by lawmakers as desperate, anti people and dangerously retrogressive.
In the tense session that followed, the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, subjected Waive’s motion to a voice vote, but several lawmakers immediately rejected the outcome, insisting that the “nays” were clearly louder than the “ayes”, and accusing the leadership of presiding over what they described as a sham process that further damaged the integrity of the legislature.
The unfolding drama has intensified public anger against the ruling All Progressives Congress, as civil society groups and opposition figures warned that Waive’s conduct at the Green Chamber symbolises the ruling party’s growing hostility to electoral transparency, while constituents in Ughelli and Udu declared that the lawmaker has squandered public trust and warned that he should abandon any third 1term ambition and use the remainder of his tenure before 2027 to attempt to salvage his battered credibility through accountability and genuine representation.
