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AN OPEN MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
AN OPEN MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
Mr. President,
History often remembers leaders not merely for the victories they record, but for the decisions they make when justice, fairness, political wisdom, and democratic principles stand before them.
Today, we write as concerned members of Anioma Conscience Group with deep respect for your office and your leadership, but also with profound concern regarding the future of Delta North and the political direction of our great party in the senatorial contest ahead.
Delta North stands at a defining moment. This is not merely about personalities. It is about democracy, equity, credibility, representation, performance, and political survival.
Mr. President, democracy derives its legitimacy from the will of the people. When party members participate in a political process, they do so with the expectation that their voices will matter and that their collective choice will be respected.
Many stakeholders across Delta North maintain that Senator Ned Nwoko secured overwhelming support during the primary process. Supporters and party faithful point to figures circulated during and after the exercise indicating that Senator Ned Nwoko received approximately 123,000 votes, while Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa received approximately 6,000 votes. To many supporters, these figures represent a remarkable margin and a clear expression of grassroots preference.
To ignore such a mandate would create the unfortunate perception that political outcomes can be determined irrespective of the wishes of party members. Such a perception risks weakening confidence in the APC, discouraging grassroots participation, and creating avoidable divisions within our party.
Mr. President, fairness matters. Rewarding loyalty, performance, grassroots acceptance, and popular support strengthens institutions. Ignoring these principles weakens them.
The concerns being expressed by party members are not based solely on electoral numbers. They are also rooted in performance, visibility, accessibility, and tangible service delivery.
In a relatively short period in the Senate, Senator Ned Nwoko has facilitated and attracted an unprecedented number of constituency projects and development initiatives across the nine local government areas of Delta North. These projects cut across education, healthcare, agriculture, youth and women empowerment, roads, water supply, electricity, security infrastructure, sports development, and community development.
Among these achievements are:
Construction and renovation of classroom blocks in schools across Delta North;
Establishment of ICT centres and provision of computers and laptops for students;
Renovation and equipping of medical facilities, including the Idumuje-Ugboko Medical Centre and primary healthcare centres across the district;
Medical outreach programmes serving communities across all nine local government areas;
Training and empowerment programmes for women, youths, farmers, market traders, livestock producers, and cassava farmers;
Procurement of tractors, farm implements, fertilizers, and agricultural infrastructure;
Installation of transformers and solar-powered street lights across numerous communities;
Construction of roads, drainage systems, water projects, and irrigation schemes;
Development of boreholes and regional water supply projects;
Construction and renovation of security infrastructure, including police facilities;
Establishment of sports facilities and youth development centres;
Facilitation of major regional infrastructure projects, including the proposed Coastal Road linking numerous communities across Delta North.
These interventions have touched virtually every local government area within Delta North and have significantly enhanced the visibility and credibility of the APC at the grassroots level. They are not campaign promises. They are measurable interventions already completed, ongoing, or captured in federal budgets for execution.
Beyond constituency projects, Senator Ned Nwoko has become one of the most visible advocates for the long-sought creation of Anioma State. For decades, generations of Anioma leaders fought for justice, recognition, and equity. Today, many Anioma people regard Senator Ned Nwoko as one of the leading voices advancing that historic aspiration at the national level.
His advocacy has extended beyond the creation of Anioma State to include:
Advancement of the Okpai Power Project and associated power infrastructure;
Promotion of the Ogwashi-Uku Dam Project;
Advocacy for the Asaba–Oko–Okpai Road Corridor;
Environmental protection measures and flood mitigation initiatives;
Economic development and investment opportunities for Delta North and the wider region.
Mr. President, there is also growing concern among party members regarding the concentration of political opportunities within a narrow circle of individuals and interests. Democracy flourishes when opportunities are broadened, when leadership emerges through merit and popular support, and when citizens believe that their participation has value.
Many supporters fear that denying a candidate who enjoys overwhelming grassroots support would send a troubling message that political engineering can supersede democratic choice.
The APC stands today at a critical crossroads. The party needs candidates who can energize voters, unify stakeholders, attract new supporters, and strengthen the party’s electoral prospects in Delta State.
This election cycle demands political wisdom. It demands fairness. It demands respect for democratic participation.
Anioma people believe in justice.
Anioma people believe in inclusion.
Anioma people believe in rewarding performance.
Anioma people believe that those who enjoy overwhelming grassroots support should not be displaced through political manipulation or administrative engineering.
Mr. President, this is not merely a political request.
It is an appeal for fairness.
It is an appeal for democratic integrity.
It is an appeal for party unity.
It is an appeal for justice.
Most importantly, it is an appeal for respect for the voice of Delta North.
History is watching.
The people of Delta North are watching.
And history will remember the choices made at this defining moment.
Respectfully submitted,
Professor David Echefune
For and on behalf of Anioma Conscience Group