BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
An APC stalwart in Patani Local Government Area of Delta, Dr Ebidiseighabofa Orodu, has dismissed claims of Nicholas Mutu’s endorsement for another term in the House of Representatives, saying it does not reflect the broader public mood in the constituency.
Orodu, in a telephone interview on Friday, also said that such claims did not represent the prevailing grassroots sentiment or the current realities within the constituency.
Mutu has been in the National Assembly since the return to democracy in 1999 representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.
The lawmaker, who is from Bomadi Local Government, one of the council areas that make up the constituency, is also seeking a return to the national assembly in 2027.
The development has, however, sparked controversies, as stakeholders are agitating that the seat should be ceded to Patani local government, having been held for seven terms by Mutu, a Bomadi indigene.
Orodu, while reacting to the claims of endorsement of the lawmaker by some persons from the federal constituency on a popular television programme recently, said the claims were farther from the truth.
According to him, many stakeholders, youths, opinion leaders and concerned citizens within Patani and even beyond have consistently advocated for fairness, equity and inclusive democratic participation, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC stalwart said that the growing call for leadership renewal and rotational representation should be reduced to the views or political positions of a few individuals appearing in the media.
“Democracy derives its legitimacy from the collective will of the people, not from selective endorsements or elite political alignments that may not accurately capture the aspirations of the wider population.
“At a time when there is increasing public demand for broader participation and new leadership opportunities within the constituency, it is important that all stakeholders exercise caution in making sweeping claims capable of creating a false impression of consensus,” he stated.
Orodu added that the concerns being raised by citizens were not personal attacks against any individual, but rooted in broader questions about representation, development, accountability and the long-term democratic health of the constituency.
“Across many communities within Bomadi/Patani federal constituency, there is a growing perception that nearly three decades of uninterrupted representation have not translated into the level of visible federal presence, infrastructure or transformative development expected by the people.
“Particular concern continues to surround vulnerable communities, such as Akugbene, where Mutu comes from, which has, for years, faced serious environmental and coastal erosion challenges.
“Many citizens believe that such long-standing ecological threats deserve stronger federal attention and intervention over the years, especially considering the strategic influence associated with prolonged representation at the national level.
“The increasing agitation across the constituency is therefore best understood as a call for democratic renewal, inclusion and measurable representation.
“Constituents are demanding leadership that is visible, accessible, impactful and responsive to the developmental realities of the people.
“As the 2027 elections approach, political actors and stakeholders must prioritise the collective interest of the constituency above narrow personal or political considerations,” he said.
The politician warned that attempts to project isolated endorsements as the unified position of the people risked deepening political distrust and widening the disconnect between leadership narratives and grassroots realities.
“The people of Bomadi/Patani federal constituency deserve a democratic process that is open, fair, inclusive and reflective of the true aspirations of the electorate.
“Ultimately, it is the voice of the people, not selective political pronouncements, that should determine the future direction of the constituency,” he argued.
Mutu, who is in his seventh term, would have served 28 straight years as the lawmaker representing the federal constituency at the expiration of the 10th Assembly in 2027.
Many interest groups and stakeholders from both local government areas making up the federal constituency have in the last few weeks been protesting against his return to the green chambers in the next political dispensation.
On April 30, youths and stakeholders from the constituency blocked the East West Road in protest, calling for an end to the seven term monopoly by Mutu.
The protest, which lasted more than four hours, paralysed traffic, social and economic activities, drawing widespread attention to growing concerns over representation in the federal constituency.
