By Oyigu Elijah.
The ongoing agitation among my dear people of Kogi East, particularly the growing call to constantly replace our federal lawmakers, deserves careful reflection and sober evaluation.
Public debate is healthy in a democracy, yet it must be guided by reason rather than impulse. Representative democracy is not sustained by noise or novelty. It is strengthened by continuity, experience, and earned influence within legislative chambers.
For Kogi East, and especially for Dekina and Bassa Federal Constituency, the real question before us is not whether change appears attractive in the moment, but whether repeated and hurried change truly serves our long term political and developmental interest. Before we surrender hard earned seniority, we must weigh the cost of losing influence against the uncertain promise of starting afresh.
A ranking lawmaker is not merely someone who has occupied a seat for years. He is one who has grown into the rules, customs, pressures, and strategic pathways of the National Assembly. When we repeatedly replace our representatives after a single term, we reset our influence to zero. We surrender seniority. We return to the margins while others consolidate power at the centre.
It is important to state clearly that this position is not motivated by personal gain. I am not paid to write this. I have not even met our Senator since he assumed office. He may not know my name.
My conviction arises from legislative understanding and comparative observation. Across parliamentary systems, lawmakers become more effective as they accumulate years within the chamber. They master procedure. They understand committee hierarchies. They build alliances that cannot be formed overnight. Influence in a legislature is rarely granted to newcomers. It is earned over time.
For instance, Hon. Paul Haruna, known widely as IJN, is presently serving his first term. It is to the advantage of our land that we return him for a second term. Replacing him is to our huge disadvantage. Legislators are not primarily responsible for constructing roads or erecting buildings. Those responsibilities lie more with the executive branch. The duty of a lawmaker is to influence appropriations, sponsor bills, shape oversight, and defend constituency interests within debates and committee rooms. Having him retuned will pay our constituency more than bring up another person.
The longer a representative remains in office, the more familiar he becomes with these internal processes. Research in legislative studies consistently suggests that lawmakers often reach peak effectiveness after extended years of service, frequently around a decade or more within the chambers.
In Nigeria, the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives is Hon. Nicholas Mutu Ebomo. Since his first election in 1999, he has continuously represented the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State, making him the most senior member of the House, often referred to as the Green Chamber. With over 27 years of uninterrupted service, Hon. Ebomo’s tenure exemplifies the advantages of experience and continuity in legislative work, including accumulated influence, institutional knowledge, and the ability to effectively advocate for his constituents over decades.
The longest serving senator in Nigeria’s modern democratic era is Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan. He has been a continuous member of the National Assembly since 1999, beginning his legislative career in the House of Representatives and then moving to the Senate in 2007, where he has served without interruption. His cumulative tenure in the federal legislature now spans more than 25 years as of 2025, making him one of the most experienced lawmakers in the Fourth Republic.
Before Lawan’s long service, David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark was widely recognised as the longest serving senator, having represented Benue South in the Senate continuously from 1999 to 2019 and serving as Senate President for eight years. Mark’s extended period in the Red Chamber set a high benchmark for legislative longevity in Nigeria
This principle is not peculiar to Nigeria. In the United States, within the United States Congress, seniority carries weight. Chuck Grassley of the Republican Party has served in the Senate since 1981, accumulating more than four decades of legislative experience. Ed Markey of the Democratic Party first entered Congress in 1977 and has served continuously for over forty years across both chambers. Their influence today is not accidental. It is the product of time, committee service, and sustained engagement.
In the United States House of Representatives, similar patterns are visible. Hal Rogers of Kentucky and Chris Smith of New Jersey, both Republicans, have served since 1981. Their decades in office have positioned them to secure strategic committee roles and shape federal discussions. Their constituencies benefit not merely from their presence, but from their accumulated leverage. Experience has translated into bargaining strength.
The United Kingdom offers another illustration. In the House of Commons, Sir Edward Leigh of the Conservative Party has served since 1983 and holds the respected position known as Father of the House, a recognition of long service. Barry Sheerman of the Labour Party has been in Parliament since 1979. Their longevity reflects a political culture that recognises the institutional value of experience. Senior members often guide debate and influence policy direction.
Germany’s Bundestag demonstrates a similar respect for seniority. Gregor Gysi of Die Linke has spent decades in parliamentary life and is widely acknowledged for his standing within the chamber. Even where formal rankings are not always publicised, senior members command attention because they understand procedure, precedent, and negotiation. Their voices carry institutional memory.
The first clear advantage of retaining experienced lawmakers is greater influence in decision making. Senior members often sit on powerful committees where legislation is shaped before it reaches the floor. Amendments are drafted in committee rooms, not in campaign rallies. A representative who understands these early stages can protect constituency interests long before public debate begins.
Second, long serving lawmakers gain deeper access to budgetary processes. National budgets are complex instruments. They require technical knowledge and sustained negotiation. A ranking member understands where funds are inserted, adjusted, or removed. Such knowledge increases the likelihood that constituency priorities receive serious consideration.
Third, tenure strengthens negotiating power. Relationships across party lines, ministries, and agencies mature with time. Trust is not built in a single session. It is cultivated over years of collaboration and disagreement. A representative who has built such networks can secure compromises that directly benefit his district.
Fourth, institutional memory becomes an asset. Legislatures revisit issues repeatedly across years. A senior lawmaker remembers earlier debates, failed proposals, and past agreements. This memory helps prevent repetition of mistakes and protects previous gains secured for the constituency.
Fifth, committee leadership opportunities expand with seniority. Chairmanships and ranking positions are rarely handed to first term members. When a constituency returns its representative beyond a first term, it positions itself for eventual leadership roles. Leadership brings agenda setting authority and oversight influence.
Sixth, long service fosters policy expertise. A lawmaker who spends years focusing on agriculture, education, security, or finance becomes fluent in the technical language of those sectors. Expertise commands respect from colleagues and from executive agencies. It strengthens advocacy.
Seventh, continuity ensures that ongoing legislative efforts are not abandoned. Bills often take several sessions to mature. Oversight investigations extend across years. When a representative is replaced too quickly, such initiatives may collapse. Stability protects long term plans.
It enhances sustained presence enhances visibility and credibility. Senior lawmakers are known figures within national discourse. Their interventions attract attention. Their requests carry institutional weight. For Kogi East and for Dekina and Bassa Federal Constituency, the path to stronger representation lies not in constant turnover, but in strategic continuity. Influence is cumulative. It grows with time, discipline, and persistence. If we desire a louder and more respected voice at the centre, we must be prepared to nurture it beyond a single term.
Another important point to consider is the capacity of long-serving lawmakers to mentor emerging political leaders within the constituency. When a representative remains in office beyond a single term, he does not merely grow personally; he creates a ladder for others to climb. Younger politicians, aides, policy analysts, and community advocates gain practical exposure to legislative drafting, oversight procedures, and public accountability under his guidance.
This mentorship culture strengthens the political maturity of the constituency itself. Instead of producing inexperienced aspirants at every election cycle, the district gradually builds a reservoir of trained individuals who understand governance from the inside. In the long run, this produces smoother transitions, stronger institutions, and a more informed political class within Kogi East and Dekina/Bassa Federal Constituency.
It gives room to long-term strategic planning. National development policies often extend beyond four years. Major reforms in education, energy, security, or fiscal policy require sustained legislative follow-through. A lawmaker who serves multiple terms is better positioned to track the progress of policies he supported, evaluate their outcomes, and push for necessary amendments.
He can defend multi-year projects from abrupt cancellation and ensure that constituency interests remain protected across changing administrations. Stability in representation allows for coherent advocacy rather than fragmented efforts. In this way, extended service strengthens not only influence within the chamber but also the long-range planning capacity of the constituency itself.
The experience and continuity of long-serving lawmakers offer significant advantages to their constituents and to the legislative process itself. Whether in Nigeria, as seen in the tenure of Hon. Nicholas Mutu Ebomo in the House of Representatives or Senator Ahmad Lawan in the Senate, or in other democracies around the world, sustained service allows legislators to accumulate influence, institutional knowledge, and policy expertise.
For Kogi East, particularly Dekina and Bassa Federal Constituency, returning capable representatives like Hon. Paul Haruna for a second term is not merely a matter of loyalty, but a strategic choice that strengthens our voice in the National Assembly.
While new perspectives are valuable, the stability, networks, and procedural mastery of experienced lawmakers ensure that the constituency’s interests are defended effectively over the long term. In a democracy, informed continuity is as essential as accountability, and it is through this balance that lasting representation and real influence are achieved.
– Oyigu Elijah writes from Abuja.
