Patriotism is fast becoming a scarce commodity among Nigerian politicians, many of who pursue power inordinately for selfish and raw egoistic reasons. Some Nigerian politicians do not understand the essence of politics except to grab power, steal it and deploy it to satisfy their flatulent ego that shouldn’t amount to the least measurement of worth in sane climes. Sadly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has provided a home for such elements that see everything through the prism of gangsterism. A political party that rewards mace theft with a high office and crowns it with a national honour is certainly in huge deficit of altruism. The same political party that is now selling a comatose presidential candidate to Nigerians to replace the one that now lives and rules in the past of fifty years ago. The party has gifted Nigeria and Nigerians the worst socio-economic reality ever in the history of the country. The APC has clearly shown that it is a party of doom that meant no good for Nigerians. Under the APC, Nigeria sinks into the abyss of hopelessness as one of the most corrupt nations on earth, the third most unsafe country in the world and the poverty capital of the world with about 150 million of her 200 million people condemned to penury.

It is from this sardonic political party that the true to type Senator Ovie Omo-Agege rears his head as governorship candidate in Delta State. Never known for altruism, except to steal power for the sake of it, Omo-Agege goes against the grain of altruism and morality when it comes to political engagements. The mace saga remains fresh in the minds of Nigeria. Nigerians still remember how he knelt down before President Buhari with a slavish smile in appreciation for being second fiddle in the Senate leadership. That act of him kneeling down wearing the full regalia of a chief was considered a reprehensible act amounting to a taboo among his Urhobo people. Only a slave of that age kneels before another man who is not his father, but our man did it because of power. This same character with his ludicrous mindset is now out spewing forth balderdash and shameless lies that he wants to become the governor of Delta State. The good people of Delta State are already cringing at the thought of having such a man without character on the saddle. Although, he is crying and throwing tantrums all over the place and offering Deltans lies and lies, the people have long concluded that his would be an exercise in futility.

He describes his BAND to mean building a new Delta. Certainly what he has in mind is ruining the new Delta especially with the kind of legacy of ruins that the APC represents nationwide. His other invention is EDGE which he describes as employment or empowerment, development, good governance and enduring peace and security. These items read like what were picked out of the pages in a Social Studies textbook and which a ten year old will easily reel out off-hand in an interview or an examination. These are basic ideas that a serious candidate will handle with depth and deftness. He even mentioned the highly abused and misused word “empowerment”. Does Omo-Agege who forcefully broke into government file cabinets as Secretary to State Government (SSG) even on a Sunday know anything about good governance? Or has he forgotten how he hijacked contracts, seized the funds and erased evidence of awards? Can he explain the transformation from a pauper fleeing American justice system to his being billionaire within a year of being in government?

Omo-Agege and his handlers are certainly not in tune with the order of things in the contemporary world. They need to put on their thinking cap and interrogate the socio-economic aspirations of Deltans from a global perspective which while taking our local peculiarities into consideration, do not lose sight of global trends in development. Omo-Agege dropped those words which he says make up his agenda for Delta State, but he failed to offer strategies for their realization. Putting together a manifesto for the modern state is not synonymous with stealing a mace. Explaining campaign message is not the same as cringing and kneeling down for a Fulani man.

That Omo-Agege has chosen BAND as his mantra only shows his commitment to offering Delta State to BANDits who will drive the State to the EDGE. But Deltans are saying no to BANDits, no to EDGE, no to Omo-Agege. The APC and the likes of Omo-Agege should never be allowed near public office again. A man who as Senator representing 24 clans took all five major projects he proposed to his small community of less than forty houses is not just acutely nepotistic, but unfit for public office. This is the verdict of Deltans. Even APC leaders have deserted him as they have known that nothing good can be associated with BANDits who want to drive us to the EDGE.

• Utieyon wrote from Warri in Delta State.