“Mike Etaba Wasted a Decade in Reps, Delivered Nothing for Obubra, Not Even A Single Bill” — Umezulike Blasts Federal Lawmaker

“Mike Etaba Wasted a Decade in Reps, Delivered Nothing for Obubra, Not Even A Single Bill” — Umezulike Blasts Federal Lawmaker

 

 

A concerned constituent of Obubra Local Government Area, Umezulike Desmond-cruz, has slammed Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, the member representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, accusing him of wasting a decade in the National Assembly without any tangible impact on the lives of his constituents.

 

Umezulike, in a widely circulated post on social media, described Etaba’s ten-year legislative career as “a decade of decay, retrogression, obscurity and nothingness.”

 

He criticized the lawmaker for celebrating two years of his current term—after already spending eight years previously—without any visible achievement, either in lawmaking or infrastructural development.

 

“It is deeply unsettling and concerning to watch the Honourable Member… celebrate a decade in the National Assembly without a commensurate dividend of democracy,” Umezulike wrote. “We are yet to see a single tarred road facilitated by him in Obubra, except the one leading to his house—and even that was poorly done.”

 

The statement also lamented Etaba’s failure to sponsor any successful bill in ten years, questioning what legacy he would leave behind after his tenure.

 

“Today, we hold both the yam and the knife, yet we have failed to make use of either. I hope when tomorrow comes… we won’t be on social media crying marginalization,” he warned, highlighting the broader risk of political irrelevance for Obubra LGA within Cross River State politics.

 

Umezulike pointed out that Obubra, once a political powerhouse in the state, now lags behind other LGAs that are already mobilizing for higher offices in 2031. He expressed regret that despite holding the most senior federal legislative seat from the state, Etaba had failed to translate that position into concrete gains for his people.

 

He also criticized what he described as a culture of silence and sycophancy among traditional leaders and elites in Obubra, accusing them of enabling mediocrity through “polite evasion” and an unwillingness to confront the truth.

 

“In Obubra, we are not witnessing a crisis of knowledge, but a crisis of courage—where we know the truth, yet lack the willingness and courage to speak with integrity and clarity,” he said.

 

In a call to action, Umezulike urged Obubra’s political stakeholders to search for a credible alternative ahead of the next electoral cycle. “We cannot continue to reinforce failure and expect a positive result,” he said. “In Obubra, we are never children of a lesser god.”

 

Below is the unedited post:

 

Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency: Celebrating A Decade of Political Decay And Nothingness 

 

It is deeply unsettling and concerning to watch the Honourable Member Representing Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Mike Etaba, celebrate a decade in the National Assembly, without a commensurate dividend of democracy. For us, it has been a decade of decay, retrogression, obscurity and nothingness. It is sad that, the more one tries to make excuses for him, the more glaring his many ineptitude and deficiencies. More worrisome is the fact that since the unfortunate demise of our revered Political leader, Chief John Oyom Okpa, Hon. Mike Etaba has been and remain the highest Office holder from Obubra extraction. As such, one would have expected that he would fit in “manageably” into the big shoes of our late political icon and leader. Unfortunately, it’s been 10years and still counting, Hon. Mike Etaba has failed to offer leadership and direction for the people of Obubra. In fact, the people of Obubra since 2015, has continued to speak with their tongues in-between cheeks when issues of Politics is discussed in the state. This is despite being the mother Local Government to other Local Government Areas.

 

Today, we are lucky to be occupying the House of Reps. seat and our representative is the highest ranking House of Reps member in Cross River State, yet nothing to truly show for it. We must remember: no position is permanent, and so, must make good use of our chance. One day, when our chance has come and gone, our influence waned and our relevance faded, the question will remain: with all the years in the National Assembly, what impact did that bring to the people of Obubra? In the coming years, a more pressing tragedy looms: the gradual obliteration of our political relevance in the comity of local Government Areas. The people of Etung and other Local Government Areas, are watching us keenly and are learning how not to use Power. As the Igbos will often say “He who holds the knife and the yam must not pretend to be a victim”. Today, we hold both the yam and the knife, yet we have failed to make use of either of them. I hope when tomorrow comes; when power is given to those who understands how to use it, we won’t be on social media crying marginalization?

 

The leadership failure in Obubra, in the last 10years, is not only a matter of poor representation–it is also a matter of perception. And this perception is, more often than not, sculpted by those behind the scenes. When Leaders, intellectuals and Traditional Rulers choose flattery over frankness, they do not simply endorse mediocrity–they shape the destinies of our people. In Obubra, we are not witnessing a crisis of knowledge, but a crisis of courage–where we know the truth, yet lack the willingness and courage to speak with Integrity and clarity. In Obubra, truth is increasingly treated as an unwelcome guest. In moments that matter most, we have mastered the art of polite evasion: never too sharp to offend, never too firm to confront.

 

10years after, when other local Government Areas in Central are strategizing for Governorship position in 2031, Obubra Local Government Area cannot even muster the courage to ask for the Senate seat. 10years after, nobody can point to any tarred road in Obubra Local Government Area that was facilitated by Hon. Mike Etaba, except for the one leading to his house that was poorly executed. 10years later, nobody can point to any successful bill sponsored by Hon. Mike Etaba. 10years later, nobody can point to any Grade A Federal Government staff whose job was facilitated by MP Etaba. Unfortunately, the tragedy of wasting these solid 10years in the National Assembly, will be felt more when an Obubra Son is no longer in the National Assembly. A good case study is the people of Obudu–today, they are regretting the wasteful 8years of Ayade.

 

The Leaders of Obubra must wake up and begin to search for a credible alternative. We cannot continue to reinforce failure and expect a positive result. In Obubra, We Are Never Children of a lesser god.

 

 

As of the time of publishing, Hon. Mike Etaba has not issued any response to the allegations.