Nigerians drag Sandy Ojah Onor on social media for a bill and an enlistment

16 June 2020 

The lawmaker representing Cross River Central Senatorial District at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Sandy Ojah Onor popularly called the caterpillar, is currently being dragged on Cross River cyberspace for lack of performance in the last legislative year at the National Assembly (NASS). 

The fundamental argument is that Prof.  Onor was overhyped during the campaigns in 2019. Besides, this perception stems from what the lawmaker reportedly said after the said campaign: on the 26th of May, 2019, Sen. Onor made the following statements — ‘I am not going to the Senate to give my people the excuse of being a FIRST TIMER, to the best of my ability, I will not fail to deliver’. 

One year after one Thomas Ashibi has opined thus: ‘I think that guy is overrated.’

An economist, namely, Barth Abang, while responding to the outlined achievements listed by Onor’s media aide, Modlin Odu, said: ‘The very idea of listing those achievement was ill conceived, this aren’t achievement that better the lots of the man from Central cross river, he seriously needs to buckle up and he should know the people are alot wiser now , those achievement if we can use that word are infinitesimal’. One Akuku Achilles Ugbani described Odu’s reply thus: ‘This guy’s media aide is trying sha. Just hyping the guy without any achievement. Just imagine the disgrace.’ Friday Omini said ‘It now time to work, politics is over, start fulfilling all what you promise us doing campaign and also remember Abi people because we vehemently supported you sir.’ Evalsam Atu a constituent said: ‘First term. 11 months… A representative that knows his or her onions won’t make excuses for non performance. Senator Elisha Abbo a first time senator is making waves for his constituency, Rep Bamidele is also doing his best and empowering his constituency for life after his tenure and not handouts of 50k 100k each time. So our representative should sit up and understand that the Nigeria political terrain as a representative is different from the US or UK.’ Osonabiji Ojong of the All Progressives Congress said ‘These guys don’t understand its not about their personality or class, but the outreach and the people’s perception of you and your works. In all, I pray God helps us.’

But sympathisers of Sandy Onor have disagreed with critics of the professorial lawmaker. Particularly, media aide Odu has outlined his achievements in office after one year in a thread titled FACT SHEET OF SENATOR SANDY ONOR’S ONE YEAR IN OFFICE thus: ‘Sen. Prof Sandy Onor was inaugurated into office precisely on June 12, 2019. Of the 11 months and two weeks he has spent in office, 8 months was spent judiciously in moving and supporting valid motions; a primary responsibility which is uncommon for a first timer in the midst of very seasoned law makers some of whom have spent 12 years and counting in the Senate, this got him the title, Orator of the 9th Senate. The remaining 4 months have been affected by the global pandemic which halted activities everywhere in the World until recently when measures of managing the deadly virus was introduced.