POLITICIANS-CONSTITUENCY RELATIONSHIP IN AKWA IBOM: HOW ARE THE MEDIA REPORTING?

The means through which citizens have traditionally had access to their parliament has been through their elected representative(s). In most countries, where the electorate is divided into geographically-based constituencies, and members represent a specific locality, such access has typically been through face to face contact in the area where the electors live, or through the usage of constituency office. This paper seeks to find out the relationship between politicians and their constituents in Akwa Ibom State, the role of the media in enhancing and reporting politician-constituency relationship and how best the media can play its constitutional role of creating, nurturing, and sustaining a mutually beneficial relationship between politicians and their constituents and reporting that much needed interface and constant communication between the politicians and their constituents. This paper recommends the effective utilization of constituency offices and the establishment of a functional and up-to-date official website of elected
representatives to enhance access to information by both the media and constituents.