EXCLUSIVE: 26 Years, One Man – Delta Constituency Trapped in ‘Democratic Black Hole’ as Calls Grow for Rotational Representation

BOMADI, Nigeria – For more than a quarter-century, while the rest of Delta State’s federal constituencies have rotated leadership like a healthy democracy demands, one constituency has remained frozen in time.

Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency has sent the same man to the National Assembly since 1999: Hon. Nicholas Mutu.

Now, as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, a newly formed Committee for Power Rotation is breaking decades of silence with an urgent demand: enough is enough.

An ‘Anomaly’ in Delta Politics

According to a comprehensive document obtained by our reporters, Bomadi/Patani stands as the only federal constituency in all of Delta State that has never experienced a single leadership change since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

The numbers are stark. While other constituencies have seen between three and five different representatives over the past 26 years, Bomadi/Patani registers exactly one.

Ethiope Federal Constituency has had five different representatives. Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie has also had five. Aniocha/Oshimili has had five. Burutu has had four. Ughelli/Udu has had four.

Bomadi/Patani? One. One name. One man. 26 years.

“Democracy is not a monarchy,” said Chief (Mrs) Binaebi Keboh, chairman of the committee, speaking from Kabowei Kingdom. “Leadership is not a lifetime entitlement. It is a responsibility entrusted for a time, to be renewed in the interest of progress.”

Longest-Serving in Delta – And Beyond

The committee’s research places Mutu as not just Delta State’s longest-serving federal representative, but nationally notable for his uninterrupted tenure.

The document compares his 26-plus years to other long-serving Delta lawmakers: Hon. Leo Ogor (20 years), Hon. Victor Nwokolo (18+ years), and Hon. Ossai N. Ossai (12 years). Unlike Mutu, however, each of those figures eventually saw – or will see – constituency-level transitions.

Bomadi/Patani has seen none.

‘Where Are the Bills? Where Are the Roads?’

Beyond the raw numbers, the committee raises a more pointed question: What has 26 years of continuous representation actually delivered?

The document cites:

· No notable sponsored bills addressing the specific needs of the Bomadi/Patani constituency
· Limited or no visible advocacy on critical regional issues at the national level
· Minimal or non-existent federal infrastructure projects
· A growing perception that the constituency has experienced proportional developmental neglect compared to its peers

“Representation must translate into measurable benefits for the people,” the committee’s statement reads. “There is a growing perception – and lived reality among constituents – that federal presence in terms of infrastructure and projects is minimal or non-existent.”

The Cost of Stagnation

The committee warns that continuing this pattern risks political stagnation, voter apathy, erosion of democratic confidence, underutilization of local human capital, and continued developmental lag.

For 26 years, they argue, capable sons and daughters of Bomadi/Patani have been denied the opportunity to serve their own people.

“Democracy thrives on participation, rotation, and inclusion – not prolonged monopolization,” the document states.

A Defining Moment

With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the Committee for Power Rotation is calling on political stakeholders, party leadership, constituents, and civil society to prioritize equity, competence, and rotation.

They want credible alternative candidates. They want performance accountability. They want what every other Delta constituency has already experienced: leadership that evolves.

“Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency stands at a defining moment,” the committee concluded. “The future of its political relevance and developmental trajectory depends on the willingness of its people and leaders to embrace change.”

For equity, for progress, and for the future of Bomadi/Patani – they are demanding that leadership finally, after 26 years, evolve.

Signed:
Chief (Mrs) Binaebi Keboh – Chairman
Comrade Perezilagha Orutu – Secretary
Committee for Power Rotation in Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency