| David Idris Zacharias | |
| Assembly: | Nigeria Federal House of Representatives |
| Election Date: | February 28, 2019 |
| Legislature: | Nigeria Federal House of Representatives |
| Constituency: | Idah/Ibaji/Igalamela/Ofu Federal Constituency |
| Party: | All Progressives Congress, APC |
| Hon Member, Nigeria Federal House of Representatives from Kogi State | |
| Termstart: | June 11, 2019 |
| Party Election: | 3rd October, 2018 |
| Birth Date: | 27 December 1972 |
| Predecessor: | Emmanuel Makoji Egwu |
| Birth Place: | Ejule, Ofu LGA, Kogi State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Alma Mater: | University of Abuja |
| Occupation: | Real Estate Developer, Politician |
| Committees: | Appropriation, Defence, Industry, Local Content, Ecological Fund and Internally Displaced persons (IDP) |
| Website: | https://www.nassnig.org |
David Idris Zacharias (born 27 December 1972),[1] is a politician, and member representing Idah, Ibaji, Igalamela Ofu federal Constituency [2] in the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives.[3] [4] He holds membership assignment on the House Committees on Appropriation, Ecological Fund and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). In September 2019, he supported a motion calling on Nigeria Boundary Commission to resolve the lingering boundary dispute involving his constituents in Ibaji local council of Kogi State and Enugu Otu in Enugu State. He is a business man with major interest in real estate and CEO Eden Multibiz Project Ltd., an Africa proprietary firm. He is a co-founder and chairman of the board of directors, Maina Court Facility Management Services Ltd [5] and founder David Zacharias Foundation, a non-profit humanitarian organization.
Zacharias was born in Ejule, a community in Ofu local council area of Kogi State. He attended a missionary school, St. Martins primary school, Ejule. He holds West African School Certificate Examination – WASCE from Community Secondary School, Ejule, Bachelor of Science – B.Sc degree in Sociology, University of Abuja, he attended Reforming Leadership institution in Abuja.
In 2015, Zacharias contested for the ticket of All Progressives Congress, APC to run for Idah federal Constituency seat in the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives but lost to his opponent at APC primaries. In 2019 he won his party’s ticket [6] [7] and proceeded to win [8] [9] Idah federal Constituency seat in the National Assembly beating then incumbent Emmanuel Egwu of the People's Democratic Party, PDP at the general elections with clear margin of victory. Emmanuel Egwu not satisfied with his defeat challenged the result of the poll at election petition tribunal asking the court to nullify Zacharias’ victory and declare him (Emmanuel Egwu) the winner of the poll. On August 22, 2019 the three-man tribunal sitting in Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate Court, Abuja unanimously ruled that Zacharias was the rightful winner of the February 2019 poll affirming his electoral victory [10] [11] [12] and struck out Emmanuel Egwu and PDP’s petition. Emmanuel Egwu is challenging the ruling of the tribunal at the court of appeal.
Zacharias is well known in his community and across Kogi his home state for his selfless services to humanity especially in times of emergency.
During the 2012 flood disaster that ravaged hundreds of communities across 24 states in Nigeria including Kogi State,[13] [14] Zacharias was very visible to the victims in his early response providing relief materials to thousands of people sacked by the flood across various communities in Kogi State. To further help cushion the immediate effect of the disaster on the victims he mobilized Life Gate Foundation and Zacharias Foundation which he is the founder and president to mobilise relief materials that were presented to the then Governor Captain Idris Wada for distribution to the victims across the state.
Zacharias is a vocal voice against anti social vices such as thugery, cultism and other deviant behaviors especially in his native town Ejule.[15] In the build up to 2019 general elections, violent crimes peaked as thugs attacked political campaigns injuring and killing people. In 2015, a youth leader, Abu Jeremiah was reportedly trailed and killed by unknown gunmen. In 2011, a number of people were killed while many others sustained serious injuries following a violent clash between rival political thugs in the town. His efforts in providing self sustainable skills, employment and academic scholarships to the youths who are most vulnerable in getting involved in crimes has seen a drastic reduction in violent crimes in Ejule .
The Zacharias foundation is founded to help the less fortunate fellow citizens on the margin of society to give them hope for survival and confidence for the future. The foundation is providing hundreds of scholarships to secondary school students across the four local council areas of Idah, Ibaji, Igalamela and Ofu that make up Idah federal Constituency for over six years. Young women and widows are benefiting from Zacharias foundation by providing them funds to start small scale businesses. The foundation spending show that it has also given funds to health care and sports related charities as well as religious groups [16] [17]