DELTA STATE: HON BENJAMIN OKIEMUTE ESSIEN AND THE ISOKO SOUTH CONSTITUENCY I DTHA POSITION.

 Francis Akenami

Supporting a candidate for a political office should be based on their pedigrees and performance records, and not only on party sentiments. General Collin Powell is a registered and prominent member of the United States Republican Party. He twice endorsed Barack Obama, a Democrat, once he knew Obama was a shining light. The heavens did not fall. Today Obama has re-invigorated the American economy. Under his brilliance, refusal to accept photo-op postures and amidst vigorous opposition, he has revived the ailing American economy - today making the nation the highest producer of natural gas and crude-oil in the world. He has made changes to immigration laws and demolished the 52-year old embargo placed on Cuba which survived 8 American Presidents. He reformed the healthcare laws where every American President before him including JFK, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton failed.

Benjamin Essien has performed creditably well in his role as a law maker and the third-world expectation of not only law-making but executing constituency projects. Even his opponents know they can't out-perform him.

So why is Isoko South constituency I fighting to replace him? Is it an ego-trip? Is it that we hate development? Okay, I can understand. The position is not meant for any single person.  Please don’t sell your conscience, vote in the right people.

This is what PDP should have done if they felt threatened by Essien’s presence in the opposition. Once he won the last polls under DPP, he should have been wooed to cross-over to PDP, since we do not have strong party identities/affiliations. His excellent performance is not based on party sentiments. It’s an individual burning desire to excel and serve the people. That would have improved the fortunes of PDP's performance record.

Like the biblical prophets of old, let me predict what will happen here. Hon. Benjamin Okiemute Essien will defeat Barr. Erezi Esievo in a land-slide victory. That is what Isoko South Constituency I needs as you cannot sow cassava and reap coco-yam.