Inside Delta
Constituents demand end to 26-Year 'dynasty' in Delta's house of reps seat, urge rotation
Written By: Alaba Lambert
09 Nov 2025 05:06 AM
Asaba, Delta State – A growing chorus of discontent has erupted in Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State, where a socio-political movement is challenging the decades-long grip of one lawmaker on a key federal constituency.
Protesters under the Patani Agenda 2027 group, formally known as the Movement for the Rotation of Power in Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, marched to the Delta State Government House in Asaba on November 6, calling for an end to Representative Nicholas Mutu's 26-year tenure and a rotational shift in representation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The peaceful demonstration, led by Mrs. Binaebi Keboh, highlighted what the group described as systemic marginalization of Patani Local Government Area (LGA) communities under Mutu's stewardship.
Mutu, an All Progressive Congress (APC) stalwart from Bomadi LGA, has held the Bomadi/Patani seat in the House of Representatives since 1999, spanning seven consecutive terms.
Born on June 15, 1960, in Delta State, the 65-year-old former Bomadi LGA chairman has defended his longevity by pointing to constituency projects like youth empowerment programs and infrastructure initiatives, including a stalled but significant road linking remote riverine areas to Patani and Bomadi.
"Our call today is not just political, it is moral," Keboh declared during the march, her voice amplified amid placards reading "End the 26-Year Monopoly" and "Equity for Patani Now." "Patani has been sidelined for 26 years. The time has come to allow equity, fairness, and justice in our constituency."
The protesters, numbering in the dozens, invoked their fervent support for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori during his 2023 election victory and subsequent legal battles, framing their demands as a reciprocal plea for "fair political accommodation."
The group's manifesto of grievances paints a stark picture of unfulfilled promises. They accused Mutu of "poor legislative visibility," a dearth of "impactful bills," and a glaring absence of "strategic federal presence" that has left Patani LGA starved of development.
"No major federal project to show for 26 years of representation. No notable road infrastructure, no industrial development, nothing meaningful for the youth," lamented Comrade Chris Anthony, a key organizer and leader of the allied Concerned People of Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.
Other voices, including Pastor Avwoke Fredrick and Comrade Enai Barry, echoed the sentiment, decrying the lack of sustainable youth empowerment amid rampant unemployment in the constituency's riverine heartlands.
This is not the first salvo in the brewing revolt. In September 2025, the same coalition hosted a town hall in Kpakiama, Bomadi LGA, where attendees brainstormed strategies to "change the mantle of leadership" after Mutu's "overstay."
Earlier endorsements of Mutu by some Ijaw student groups and stakeholders in 2022 and 2023 contrast sharply with recent backlash, underscoring a deepening divide between Bomadi and Patani indigenes over power-sharing in the ethnically diverse constituency.
The protesters' core demands are unambiguous and far-reaching:Zoning Rotation:
Immediate zoning of the House seat to Patani LGA for the 2027 polls to rectify perceived imbalances.
Mutu's Exclusion: A blanket bar on Mutu's candidacy, with warnings of "electoral backlash" for any party daring to field him.
Gubernatorial Intervention: Direct involvement from Governor Oborevwori in enforcing zoning, leveraging his MORE Agenda for equitable governance.
Official Recognition: Formal acknowledgment of Patani Agenda 2027 as a "legitimate democratic movement" to amplify its voice.
The group positioned itself as "peaceful but determined," issuing a stark ultimatum: Any bid to retain the seat in Bomadi could ignite "resistance at the polls," potentially fracturing PDP unity in Delta's Niger Delta heartland.
In a measured reply, Chief of Staff to Governor Oborevwori, Prince Johnson Erijo, received the delegation and relayed assurances of impartiality.
"One thing I can assure you is that everyone who wants to contest for any position in the 2027 election will be given a level playing ground," Erijo stated, emphasizing the administration's commitment to democratic openness without endorsing specific zoning.
The governor's office has yet to issue a formal statement, but sources close to Oborevwori told DAILY SOUTH NIGERIA that there are ongoing consultations to avert pre-election tensions in the constituency and other parts of the state.
Protesters under the Patani Agenda 2027 group, formally known as the Movement for the Rotation of Power in Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency, marched to the Delta State Government House in Asaba on November 6, calling for an end to Representative Nicholas Mutu's 26-year tenure and a rotational shift in representation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The peaceful demonstration, led by Mrs. Binaebi Keboh, highlighted what the group described as systemic marginalization of Patani Local Government Area (LGA) communities under Mutu's stewardship.
Mutu, an All Progressive Congress (APC) stalwart from Bomadi LGA, has held the Bomadi/Patani seat in the House of Representatives since 1999, spanning seven consecutive terms.
Born on June 15, 1960, in Delta State, the 65-year-old former Bomadi LGA chairman has defended his longevity by pointing to constituency projects like youth empowerment programs and infrastructure initiatives, including a stalled but significant road linking remote riverine areas to Patani and Bomadi.
"Our call today is not just political, it is moral," Keboh declared during the march, her voice amplified amid placards reading "End the 26-Year Monopoly" and "Equity for Patani Now." "Patani has been sidelined for 26 years. The time has come to allow equity, fairness, and justice in our constituency."
The protesters, numbering in the dozens, invoked their fervent support for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori during his 2023 election victory and subsequent legal battles, framing their demands as a reciprocal plea for "fair political accommodation."
The group's manifesto of grievances paints a stark picture of unfulfilled promises. They accused Mutu of "poor legislative visibility," a dearth of "impactful bills," and a glaring absence of "strategic federal presence" that has left Patani LGA starved of development.
"No major federal project to show for 26 years of representation. No notable road infrastructure, no industrial development, nothing meaningful for the youth," lamented Comrade Chris Anthony, a key organizer and leader of the allied Concerned People of Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency.
Other voices, including Pastor Avwoke Fredrick and Comrade Enai Barry, echoed the sentiment, decrying the lack of sustainable youth empowerment amid rampant unemployment in the constituency's riverine heartlands.
This is not the first salvo in the brewing revolt. In September 2025, the same coalition hosted a town hall in Kpakiama, Bomadi LGA, where attendees brainstormed strategies to "change the mantle of leadership" after Mutu's "overstay."
Earlier endorsements of Mutu by some Ijaw student groups and stakeholders in 2022 and 2023 contrast sharply with recent backlash, underscoring a deepening divide between Bomadi and Patani indigenes over power-sharing in the ethnically diverse constituency.
The protesters' core demands are unambiguous and far-reaching:Zoning Rotation:
Immediate zoning of the House seat to Patani LGA for the 2027 polls to rectify perceived imbalances.
Mutu's Exclusion: A blanket bar on Mutu's candidacy, with warnings of "electoral backlash" for any party daring to field him.
Gubernatorial Intervention: Direct involvement from Governor Oborevwori in enforcing zoning, leveraging his MORE Agenda for equitable governance.
Official Recognition: Formal acknowledgment of Patani Agenda 2027 as a "legitimate democratic movement" to amplify its voice.
The group positioned itself as "peaceful but determined," issuing a stark ultimatum: Any bid to retain the seat in Bomadi could ignite "resistance at the polls," potentially fracturing PDP unity in Delta's Niger Delta heartland.
In a measured reply, Chief of Staff to Governor Oborevwori, Prince Johnson Erijo, received the delegation and relayed assurances of impartiality.
"One thing I can assure you is that everyone who wants to contest for any position in the 2027 election will be given a level playing ground," Erijo stated, emphasizing the administration's commitment to democratic openness without endorsing specific zoning.
The governor's office has yet to issue a formal statement, but sources close to Oborevwori told DAILY SOUTH NIGERIA that there are ongoing consultations to avert pre-election tensions in the constituency and other parts of the state.
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