It was Sean Hughes who defined a politician as ‘a person who has nothing to say but says it anyway’.
Though the definition is one parochial prism of seeing a politician, it nonetheless captures the true image of the like of Kennedy Friday, real or pseudo name of the political acolyte who displayed the depth of his ignorance of politics and by extension, democracy while responding to Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor’s innocuous statement at the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) campaign rally in Gokana Local Government Area, Wednesday, January 25, 2023.
While we will not want to join issues with anybody, it suffice to say that in a democracy you can say whatever you like as long as you do what you are told.
Politics, we know is the art of seeking legitimate power through a political party to direct public affairs or be in charge of government policies. To achieve this, one has to belong to one of the numerous political parties registered and accredited by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it relates to Nigeria .
This fact is what is lost on some emergency political commentators and tribal jingoists who see any opinion that differs from theirs as a confrontation and, or assault on the sensibilities of ‘their own people’.
While Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor was speaking and canvassing for votes at the said rally, he passionately appealed to the people to keep voting for the PDP which has the largest presence in the area and Ogoni at large.
Rightly too, the PDP government has benefitted Ogoni in many ways which evidence are visible in infrastructural developments.
Besides, the zoning of governorship position is not and has never been done on ethnic basis but on the basis of senatorial districts.
Presently, the PDP governorship candidate in the person of Sir Siminalayi Fubara is a bonafide son of Rivers South-East to which Ogoni eminently belongs, thus making him our own son and should therefore be seen as such and voted for.
This is the import of Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor’s message. At no time did the honourable federal lawmaker say Ogoni is not ripe to produce a governor in 2023.
This is a true case of giving a dog a bad name to find cause to kill him. The truth is that the PDP has chosen a governorship candidate for the 2023 election and it will be foolhardy for the Ogoni not to join the moving train simply because the candidate who is from the same senatorial district as Ogoni, and the nearest community (Opobo) is the party’s flag bearer.
That, to Rt. Hon. Dekor, amounts to political suicide in the face of the fact that no other political party in the state outside the PDP as of today is well positioned to win the 2023 general elections in the state. This is just the bitter truth these political dreamers do not want to accept.
The 2023 general elections will not be the last elections in the state or Nigeria. All that is important is for the Ogonis to continue to unite and have a sense of purpose and whichever party through which the Ogoni gets what is due her, so be it.
Unfortunately, these political desperadoes would not let this be, simply because ‘if it is not we’ then it cannot be.
This is a very wrong approach to politics.
There is no gainsaying the fact that Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor is one of the finest political office holders Ogoni has produced in recent times.
He has not only demonstrated capacity at the National Assembly where he serves as the House Committee Chairman for Host Communities, he has also visibly and compassionately impacted lives of numerous Ogoni youths, women and elders indiscriminately. What else could be the essence of political representation and what else do these blackmailers and visionless agitators wish to do differently?
Notwithstanding, may we use this opportunity to advise the good people of Ogoni once again, to discountenance this antics of scoring cheap political points by those who do not mean well for Ogoniland and vote rightly for the PDP governorship candidate and for candidates of the National and State Assemblies in 2023 general elections.
God willing, at the right time, and very soon too, the great Ogoniland will produce a Governor which is our collective dream.
But to be a good leader, we must first be a good follower.
Signed:
Rt. Hon. Dum Dekor Media Team
