ETUNG – As political calculations quietly gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, a familiar but unresolved question has resurfaced in Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency: what truly constitutes fairness?
For a group of concerned stakeholders from Etung Local Government Area, the answer is neither ambiguous nor negotiable. In a strongly worded intervention titled *“An Epignosis of Truth,”* the group argues that the issue of zoning must be approached not from the standpoint of sentiment or political convenience, but from verifiable history and a consistent application of equity.
“This intervention is not born out of sentiment,” the document states, “nor is it shaped by fleeting political convenience. It is rooted in verifiable history and anchored on a principle that remains central to any stable democratic arrangement: fairness.”
At the heart of the renewed debate is a political arrangement that dates back to the dawn of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999. According to the stakeholders, leaders from both Obubra and Etung engaged in deliberate negotiations that shaped the trajectory of federal representation in the constituency.
The House of Representatives ticket, initially ceded to Obubra, was relinquished through strategic bargaining and converted into the office of Deputy Governor. In exchange, Etung produced the representative for the constituency.
However, that tenure was tragically cut short. The Etung representative served for only about one year and nine months before his untimely death due to ill health, a development the group describes as a defining but often overlooked moment in the constituency’s political history.
The stakeholders take particular issue with what they describe as a “misleading narrative” that Etung enjoyed 16 uninterrupted years of representation.
“The assertion does not withstand scrutiny,” the document insists. “A tenure cut short after less than two years cannot reasonably be counted as a full term, much less inflated into a prolonged period of uninterrupted advantage.”
Instead, they argue that the 1999–2003 cycle should be treated as an exceptional circumstance—one marked by negotiation, disruption, and incomplete representation—and therefore unsuitable as a benchmark for rotational equity.
When recalculated on what the group describes as a “factual and defensible basis,” the distribution of power appears balanced.
From 2003 to 2015, Etung held the House of Representatives seat for three consecutive terms, totaling 12 years of substantive representation. In 2015, the seat rotated to Obubra, which has since maintained it through three terms, projected to run until 2027—another 12 years.
“Etung — 12 years. Obubra — 12 years. This is the only fair and defensible framework for evaluating equity within the constituency,” the statement concludes.
The 2027 Question
With this parity established, the group says the path forward should be guided by consistency.
“If zoning and rotation remain the guiding principles of political engagement within Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, then consistency must be upheld,” the stakeholders argue. “After an equal distribution of twelve years apiece, equity demands that the House of Representatives seat returns to Etung in 2027.”
At the same time, the group signals openness to political negotiation—provided fairness is not compromised. Should the seat remain in Obubra, they insist that Etung must be accorded a commensurate elective position, echoing the same logic that once secured the Deputy Governorship for Obubra through negotiation.
“This is not a concession or an appeal for sympathy,” the document notes. “It is a logical extension of the same political balancing that once enabled Obubra to secure the Deputy Governorship.”
Beyond the immediate question of zoning, the stakeholders frame the issue as a broader test of political integrity and mutual respect within the constituency.
“Equity cannot be applied selectively,” they warn. “It must be consistent, or it loses its meaning entirely.”
Observers note that while zoning arrangements are often informal, their stability depends heavily on trust and adherence to precedent. Any perceived deviation, they say, risks deepening divisions and undermining cooperation among political actors.
For the Etung stakeholders, the stakes are clear.
“Any departure from this framework risks eroding trust, weakening cooperation, and unsettling the fragile foundation of mutual respect that sustains the constituency,” the statement cautions.
As consultations intensify and alignments begin to take shape ahead of 2027, the Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency may once again find itself navigating the delicate balance between principle and political pragmatism.
Whether stakeholders will adhere to what the group describes as a “clear and unambiguous path” remains to be seen. But one message rings through the intervention with unmistakable clarity:
“Fairness is not a political favor. It is the basis of unity—and the guarantor of stability.”
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