This intervention is not born out of sentiment, 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 dawn of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, political actors within Obubra and Etung Federal Constituency engaged in deliberate negotiations that would define representation at the federal level. The House of Representatives ticket was initially ceded to an Obubra son. However, through strategic political bargaining, that opportunity was relinquished and converted into the office of Deputy Governor. This was not accidental—it was calculated, negotiated, and mutually understood.
Following that arrangement, an Etung son emerged to represent the constituency in the House of Representatives. His tenure, however, was tragically brief. Due to ill health, his time in office lasted only about one year and nine months before his untimely passing.
This reality is crucial, especially in light of a recurring and misleading narrative that has gained traction over time.
The assertion that Etung enjoyed “16 uninterrupted years” of representation does not withstand scrutiny. It is, at best, a distortion and, at worst, a deliberate mischaracterization of history. 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.
For the sake of honesty and consistency, the 1999–2003 cycle must be treated as an exceptional circumstance. It was defined by negotiation, disruption, and incomplete representation. It cannot—and should not—serve as a benchmark for calculating rotational equity.
From 2003 to 2015, Etung held the House of Representatives seat for three consecutive terms, amounting to twelve years of substantive representation.
In 2015, in keeping with the spirit of rotation, the seat shifted to Obubra. Since then, Obubra has maintained the position through three consecutive terms, spanning from 2015 to 2027—another twelve years.
When stripped of sentiment and viewed through the lens of factual accountability, the record is clear:
Etung — 12 years
Obubra — 12 years
This is the only fair and defensible framework for evaluating equity within the constituency.
With this in mind, the question confronting stakeholders ahead of 2027 is straightforward: what truly constitutes fairness?
If zoning and rotation remain the guiding principles of political engagement within Obubra/Etung Federal Constituency, then consistency must be upheld. After an equal distribution of twelve years apiece, equity demands that the House of Representatives seat returns to Etung in 2027.
Alternatively, if circumstances dictate that the seat remains in Obubra, then fairness requires a corresponding adjustment. Etung must be accorded a commensurate elective position. This is not a concession or an appeal for sympathy—it is a logical extension of the same political balancing that once enabled Obubra to secure the Deputy Governorship through negotiation.
Equity cannot be applied selectively. It must be consistent, or it loses its meaning entirely.
The path forward is therefore unambiguous:
Either the House of Representatives seat is zoned to Etung Local Government Area in 2027;
or
If it remains in Obubra, Etung must receive an equivalent elective position to preserve balance.
Any departure from this framework risks eroding trust, weakening cooperation, and unsettling the fragile foundation of mutual respect that sustains the constituency.
Fairness is not a political favor. It is the basis of unity—and the guarantor of stability.
Signed,
Ojong Egbe Atim
For:
Concerned Citizens of Etung
