THISDAY Awards: Nominees For Representative of the Year
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HON. BABAJIMI BENSON REPRESENTING IKORODU FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY
Rep. Babajimi Benson, a distinguished legal practitioner and senior executive, has become a beacon of impactful leadership in Ikorodu Federal Constituency. With a solid professional background, including roles as Company Secretary/General Counsel at LSDPC and Non-Executive Director at Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Benson’s career spans key positions at Lead Bank PLC, Ecobank PLC, and the United Nations.
Armed with an MBA from Warwick Business School and law degrees from Lagos State University and the Nigerian Law School, he blends expertise with a vision for sustainable development.
Benson’s legislative prowess is evident in his sponsorship of 58 bills, five of which have been assented to by the president-The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (Amendment) Act – transforming DICON into a Military Industrial Complex for enhanced defence capabilities and job creation; Defence Research and Development Bureau Act – establishing a bureau to advance research and innovation in the Armed Forces; Electricity Amendment Act 2023 – mandating that power-generating companies allocate 5% of their operating expenditure to develop host communities; Constitutional Amendment Act (Railways) – transferring railways from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent List, empowering states to build rail networks; and Constitutional Amendment Act (Electricity) – granting states the authority to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity within their territories.
On the constituency front, Benson has transformed education by constructing 22 classroom blocks, ICT centres, and initiating vocational programmes. His healthcare initiatives include a state-of-the-art 80-bed Mother and Child Hospital in Imota and four primary health centres. Electrification projects, including solar streetlights, 8,000 solar home systems, and 25 transformers, have improved living conditions, while 65 road projects have enhanced accessibility and boosted local commerce.
Through innovative programmes like the iCare Lecture Series and Startup Ikorodu, Benson empowers youth with entrepreneurial skills, making him an exemplary leader deserving of the honour. His dedication to infrastructure, healthcare, education, and youth development places him in a league of his own.
Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere
He currently serves as a member representing Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He also serves as the chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources and Downstream.
He co-sponsored the South East Development Commission Bill assented to by President Bola Tinubu.
Ugochinyere also co-sponsored a bill seeking to amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to limit the period which any individual can serve as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from two terms of four years each, to a single six year tenure. The Bill also seeks an amendment for rotation of the Presidency across the six geo-political zones in the country.
The Bill was rejected by the members of the House. However, Ugochinyere assured that the Bill would be represented before the House.
Hon. Benjami Kalu
He currently serves as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He represents the Bende federal constituency. He is also the Chairman of the House Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.
Kalu is the convener of the Peace in the South East Project (PISE), which aims to use non-kinetic means to resolve insecurity in the South East Region.
With over 100 bills to his name, he has been instrumental to much needed amendments to national laws, including the Acts Authentication Act and the Nigerian Communications Act, to mention a few. He has also, through legislative interventions, pioneered the creation of critical public institutions such as the Federal Capital Territory Education Resource Centre. Kalu co-sponsored the bill for the establishment of the South-East Development Commission in the 10th House.
