OPINION: Don’t Reward Failure Out of Fear: Why Etung Should Support A New Obubra Candidate For One Final Term
…By Umezulike Desmond-Cruz
Politics, at its best, is built on trust, fairness, and respect for agreements. In Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, represented by Hon. Mike Etaba, the long-standing zoning arrangement between Obubra and Etung, though largely conventional, has served as a stabilizing force. It ensured that power rotates, that both communities feel represented, and that no group permanently dominates the political space. However, today, that understanding faces a serious test.
After three terms in the House of Representatives, many constituents believe that Hon. Etaba’s performance has fallen short of expectations. Ordinarily, the demand for new leadership would be straightforward. However, a genuine concern among the people of Etung complicates the situation: What if a new Obubra candidate refuses to step aside after the fourth term and attempts to extend the tenure into a fifth or sixth term This concern is understandable. Political promises in Nigeria are not always kept. Yet retaining one individual simply because he is the “devil we know” risks creating a bigger problem than the one it seeks to avoid. The zoning arrangement was never designed for a single individual. It was created to ensure fairness between two communities. Supporting another Obubra candidate for the final term does not weaken Etung’s position; it reinforces the principle that the seat belongs to Obubra for four terms—not to one man indefinitely. But If the constituency suggests that only one person can complete Obubra’s four terms, it undermines the very spirit of zoning and turns a collective agreement into a personal entitlement.
Our own political history provides a useful example. In Etung, Senator John Owan-Enoh served three terms after an initial one term by another Etung son. The zoning principle was respected without tying leadership to one individual. Obubra has one term left. Any credible Obubra son can serve it–but only for that final term.
More so, democracy also demands accountability. When leaders know that poor performance carries no consequences, public service becomes entitlement. If voters continue to reward underperformance out of fear of uncertainty, accountability disappears. But replacing an underperforming representative sends an important message, that leadership is about service and results, not entitlement. It also shows younger leaders across Obubra and Etung that public office must always remain accountable to the people.
Ironically, Etung’s concern may actually be better addressed with a fresh candidate. A new Obubra representative would enter office fully aware that the term represents the final Obubra slot under the zoning arrangement, and that the legitimacy of that mandate would depend on respecting the agreement and preparing the ground for Etung’s turn.
There is also a broader political reality. After completing the fourth term in the House of Representatives, many leaders in Obubra are expected to pursue higher representation, particularly the Senate. Such ambitions create a strong incentive to honor the zoning agreement rather than undermine it. A community that disregards its commitments at the constituency level would struggle to earn wider political trust.
Ultimately, this moment is not simply about whether one man continues in office. It is about the political culture our constituency chooses to build. History will not remember the excuses we made to tolerate poor leadership; it will remember the courage we showed to demand better. And the people of Etung must not inherit a future built on fear, but one built on fairness, dignity, and the confidence that agreements between brothers must be honored.
The people of Etung have long been known for political wisdom and strategic thinking. Supporting a credible Obubra candidate for the final term—while insisting on firm guarantees, that the seat rotates afterward—will strengthen, not weaken, Etung’s position. Because zoning agreements are meant to protect communities, not individuals. And when the time comes for Etung to take its rightful turn, it will do so on the solid foundation of trust, goodwill, and mutual respect between the two communities.
