GROWING INFLUENCE, DELIVERING RESULTS ....... Cross River Central Should Stay the Course

In the politics of representation, experience is often presented as the ultimate currency but experience is not a monolith, it comes in layers, evolves over time and must ultimately be measured against performance. As Cross River Central Senatorial District reflects on its senatorial representation, the conversation around Senator Eteng Jonah Williams deserves a more nuanced and frankly, fairer framing.

The prevailing argument suggests that the district may benefit from “a more experienced hand” in the Senate, especially given the importance of ranking in Nigeria’s legislative hierarchy. On the surface, it is a compelling case but beneath that surface lies a critical oversight. EJ Williams is not an inexperienced legislator, he is a transitioning one, carrying significant institutional experience from the state level into the national stage.

Before arriving at the National Assembly, the "Red Chamber" to be precise, Eteng Jonah Williams served as Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, one of the most strategic legislative positions at the subnational level. In that role, he;

* Presided over lawmaking processes

* Managed legislative-executive relations

* Built consensus among lawmakers

* Navigated complex governance dynamics

This is not peripheral experience; it is core legislative leadership. The transition from state legislature to the Senate of the Federal Republic duely elected, is therefore not a leap into the unknown but an elevation within a familiar institutional ecosystem. So, to frame Senatir Williams as lacking experience simply because he is in his first Senate term is to ignore the depth of governance exposure he already brings to the table.

Admittedly, the Senate operates on a ranking system that rewards longevity. Veterans like Distinguished Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of State, Industry and Senator Sandy Ojang Onor, a Professor, benefited from time, continuity, and entrenched networks, though John Owan Enoh and Sandy Onor didn't seek a return to the "Red Chamber" owing to their Governorship ambitions in Cross River State.

Their contributions remain part of the Central Senatorial District’s political heritage. Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, in particular, elevated Cross River Central, Cross River State and the South-South Geo-Political Zone to strategic national prominence through his role as Senate Leader, a position with undeniable influence. However, influence must not be romanticized at the expense of present realities. The critical question is not who held power yesterday but who is effectively deploying opportunity today while positioning the district for greater influence tomorrow.

On this score, EJ Williams has built a compelling case. Across the six local government areas of the district, his interventions are visible and measurable;

* Rural road construction improving access roads and economic activity

* Solar-powered boreholes and electrification projects expanding basic infrastructure

* Educational support reaching dozens of schools

* Medical outreaches and financial assistance for vulnerable constituents

* Direct empowerment initiatives benefiting hundreds of individuals

* Facilitation of scholarships for post-graduate studies abroad

* Other projects and initiatives too numerous to mention 

These are not abstract legislative ambitions; they are tangible improvements in the peoples daily lives. Critically, these achievements have been recorded within a short legislative window, underscoring a proactive approach rather than a learning curve.

The debate is often framed as a binary, retain performance or import experience but in Williams, Cross River Central Senatorial District arguably has both in motion. He brings tested legislative leadership from his tenure as Speaker. He is actively delivering constituency results. He is simultaneously building Senate ranking and networks.

Replacing him at this stage risks interrupting all three trajectories. It is also worth stating plainly, unless the district elects a former senator already embedded in the National Assembly’s hierarchy, any “new” candidate, no matter how accomplished elsewhere will still confront the same ranking limitations Williams faces today.

Political impatience can be expensive. Removing a first-term senator who has already demonstrated capacity and commitment effectively resets the district’s progress; Ranking advantages are forfeited, Ongoing projects risk discontinuity and Institutional relationships must be rebuilt from scratch. In contrast, continuity offers compounding returns. A second-term EJ Williams would not be the same senator of today; he would be a more influential, better positioned legislator with an established performance record.

The legacies of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba SAN, Senator John Owan Enoh, and Senator Sandy Ojang Onor should remind us that influence is built over time. None of them became nationally significant figures in overnight. If Cross River Central Senatorial District desires a return to that level of influence, the pathway is not constant rotation, it is strategic continuity.

Cross River Central stands at a decision point, but it is not one of uncertainty, it is one of direction. Eteng Jonah Williams represents a convergence of experience, performance and emerging influence. His background as a former Speaker provides the foundation. His current record provides the evidence. His trajectory offers the promise. The prudent course is not to abandon a system that is beginning to yield results but strengthen it through continuity. In politics, as in development, momentum matters and at this moment, Cross River Central Senatorial District momentum on its side.

 Omini Oden (ACPA, FCAI)

Writes from Federal Capital Territory