Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, representing Cross River North Senatorial District, has declared that his primary duty as a federal lawmaker goes beyond lawmaking and oversight to delivering tangible dividends of democracy to his people.
He made this assertion on Friday, May 30, 2025, while receiving members of the Cross River State Journalists Forum (CROSSJOF), led by its interim chairman, Franscica Ogar, at his residence in Abuja.
Jarigbe emphasized that his core focus remained on fulfilling the social contract with his constituents by providing infrastructure and promoting human capital development.
“We were elected to represent the people, and we made promises during the campaigns. So far, we have kept to those promises, and it is still work in progress. If you review the 2024 and the newly approved 2025 budgets, you will see that every ward in Ogoja, Obudu, Yala, Bekwarra, and Obanliku has at least one project from rural electrification, water projects, and road construction, to school infrastructure and equipping laboratories,” he said.
The lawmaker also noted significant contributions to the health sector, pointing out that many primary healthcare centers in the district now have essential medical equipment such as glucometers, sphygmomanometers, and thermometers, which were previously unavailable.
“Charity begins at home. The road to my village was in terrible condition for years. Today, work is ongoing on the final stone base of that road to Abakpa. We’ve also fixed several other roads like the long-abandoned Boki Road,” he added.
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Jarigbe said he has also empowered constituents through financial support for businesses, scholarship programs, and bursary payments.
“We’re deliberate about human capital development some constituents are studying abroad through scholarships from NDDC and PTDF, particularly in the UK and Europe. We plan to pay bursaries next month to more students,” he noted.
On his legislative contributions, Jarigbe disclosed that he has sponsored several bills, including one for the establishment of a Federal Medical Center, which has reached the public hearing stage. However, he lamented that other bills, such as the Federal University of Technology and Federal Polytechnic Ogoja, were not assented to by the President.
“That’s what happens when you’re in the opposition,” he said. “But we remain hopeful.”
Addressing recent defections by some opposition senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarigbe stated that he remains committed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which enjoys strong grassroots support in his district.
“Our politics is local. If I announce defection, my people will ask me to go alone—they are not going anywhere. I will remain with them in PDP.”
Speaking on the proposed creation of new states, the senator expressed optimism about the possible creation of Ogoja State.
“If there’s any state that deserves to be created, it’s Ogoja. It would be historic if this President actualizes that. We will keep pushing,” he said.
Jarigbe, the only PDP senator from Cross River State, called on his constituents to remain prayerful and supportive of both his efforts and those of the state government.
“I am committed to delivering the dividends of democracy. Let’s support the state government to stay focused and undistracted. Governance must reach our people at the grassroots.”he added.
