Hon Peter Azi expresses a Mixed Feeling about the Centenary Celebration

While most law makers in Jos hide themselves in their mansions in Rayfield, Hon Peter Azi has chosen to live among his people in Angwan Yashi, Tudun Wada. Here is what the politician says about humble abode, representation and the centenary celebration.

Actually I have been here for about 25 years or more. This is the first house I built when I was living from hand to mouth. This is where my people saw me. They never picked me because I was buoyant in any way; but they still asked me to represent them. Actually I have houses but I cherish living here where whoever wants to see me can see me not through any security or any PA or whatever.

Hon Peter Azi states how a true representation should be done

You see I was not elected in the executive capacity. I was a house of assembly member and a member is a representative of the people. You cannot represent people by proxy you must be visible. You must be accessible. It’s not every time that people come to you for money because those people sometimes might have other issues they need to discuss with you.

The honorable who usually plays the draft game while hanging out with his people shares an experience.

I remember when I won the house of assembly election I was where I was playing my draft and somebody met me there and said I am no longer the person I used to be; he said how can I be sitting here and be playing draft. I looked at my skin to see if I had changed. I was playing draft when the people saw me in the first place and asked me to represent them. I didn’t see any wisdom in what he was saying. If you are waiting for your aid to tell you what is happening you will not get the true reflection of what is on ground you have to source for the information yourself.

Hon Azi shares his view on the barrier between representatives and electorates

It will come to a time people won’t vote again. When they vote for the first person and he runs away, vote for the second and he runs away they will just fold their arms and not vote.

The lawmaker reminisces on the law which forbids the use of motorcycle for commercial purposes in Jos metropolis

In the house of assembly when they passed the law to ban motorcycle, I told them it wasn’t proper to just ban motorcycles in one day; because I was on the ground I knew what people were going through. I am not saying the passage of that bill is wrong but the way and manner it was passed was not right. Today if you go to town you still see people using motorcycles but if we had called the stakeholders it would have been different.

His words for Lawmakers who favour lounging away in their mansions

You become a prisoner when are not moving freely because you are scared. There are certain people who cannot go to their villages in the day time. Sometimes people will troop here to tell me their brother has been arrested and I go to speak to the DPO and the person is released. I derive joy in it that whenever you want to see me you can see me.

The Centenary Celebration

So when you talk about celebration. It is good to celebrate but it will have been better to celebrate our achievement and not the number of years. Nigeria is endowed with both human and natural resources but our situation is pathetic and we are still behind, there are so many graduates on the street that cannot be absorbed because an individual has looted a lot of money.