The argument from Ovie Omo-Agege’s camp that Senator Ede Dafinone should be denied reelection simply because he shares the same federal constituency as the sitting governor is political rhetoric, not constitutional logic.
Under Nigeria’s democratic framework, the offices of governor and senator are distinct, independently elected, and serve different functions. The electorate of Delta Central sent Distinguished Sen. Ede Dafinone to the National Assembly based on his capacity to represent their interests at the federal level — not to balance geography within the Urhobo nation or political structure. Reducing that mandate to zoning arithmetic undermines the very essence of representative democracy and the unity of the Urhobo nation.
Performance, not geography, should remain the primary yardstick for reelection. By all fair accounts, Sen. Ede Dafinone has demonstrated competence, visibility, and responsiveness in his legislative duties and constituency engagement. He is delivering the dividends of democracy through motions, bills, empowerment programs, and effective representation. When a senator is delivering results, the logical democratic response is continuity — not disruption of progress that positions the Urhobo nation for greater relevance nationally.
The claim that a governor and a senator cannot emerge from the same area within the Urhobo nation has no basis in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution provides for eligibility, election procedures, and tenure, but nowhere imposes restrictions based on intra-state or intra-tribal geographical balancing between offices. Introducing such a standard informally through political pressure sets a dangerous precedent: merit and voters’ choice become subordinate to arbitrary arrangements that lack legal backing.
This argument would not have come from the camp of Omo Agege if Sen. Ede Dafinone were still in his camp – that makes the argument without a foundation, baseless, and only politically motivated devoid of logic, sound reasoning, and fairness.
In fact, having both a governor and a senator from the same district can be advantageous. It can foster stronger synergy in governance, enable smoother collaboration between state and federal actors, and attract more development to the state as a whole. A performing governor working alongside an effective senator translates into stronger advocacy for federal projects, better policy alignment, and accelerated socio-economic benefits for all districts — not just their shared constituency.
I call on Delta Central constituents and the Urhobo nation to resist narratives that replace substantive evaluation with divisiveness. The question before voters is simple: has Ede Dafinone earned another term through credible service? The answer is yes. The calls from pro-Agege to deny him reelection based on shared origin with the governor should be seen for what they are — political strategy, not principled argument. Democracy thrives when voters prioritise competence, accountability, and results over sentiments that do not advance collective progress.
_ Apst. P. O. Edu., Esq.
Ughelli, Delta State.
