Politics of Deceit and the Selfish Ambitions That Derail Agreements

By Admin

In the politics of Nigeria, deceit is not a rare commodity. It is traded daily in open markets by political actors whose selfish interests often trump the collective good. The country is replete with examples of men who, for their own aggrandizement, tear apart conventional arrangements painstakingly crafted to promote fairness and stability.

One notable case remains fresh in our political memory. It was during Senator Smart Adeyemi’s third-term bid. The campaign machinery, lubricated by promises and hyperbole, pushed the narrative that if Sen. Smart Adeyemi returned to the Senate, Kogi West would produce the Senate President, a development that, it was argued, would be a historic first and an advantage for the entire Kogi State. Local government areas rallied. Trust was extended. Hopes were raised.

But what happened after the elections tells the true story of Nigerian politics. Sen. Smart Adeyemi, once back in the Red Chamber, never became Senate President. Not even Deputy. Instead, political appointments, opportunities, and resources were cornered for a select group of cronies, while the larger Kogi West, having bought into the great deception, was left in the cold, betrayed once again by a familiar brand of ambition wrapped in populist rhetoric.

Today, history seems determined to repeat itself, albeit in a different setting. This time, it is not the people of Kogi West at large who are being led down the same treacherous path. It is the good people of Yagba Federal Constituency.

A few unscrupulous political actors, led by the current member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Abejide, are orchestrating a plan for his return to the House for a third term, an unprecedented twelve-year reign for a single individual, and a political imbalance of grave proportions for Yagba’s delicate rotational arrangement.

Now, Elder Leke’s promoters are telling us that if elected for a third term, he will become Speaker of the House, a recycled promise similar to the one sold to us in the past, wrapped in sweet words but hollow at the core. They whisper it in corridors and shout it in rallies, hoping to rekindle the old fire of false hope. Yet, we have seen this movie before, and we know how it ends. The same promises of elevated positions and national influence were made in the past, only for the people to be abandoned once ambition was achieved. The lure of titles has again been weaponized to manipulate the sentiments of the electorate, ignoring the historical lessons that such empty guarantees leave behind nothing but disillusionment and regret. It is a classic playbook: trade dreams for votes, only to crush them in the cold halls of power.

Let us be clear: Yagba West has already had their fair share, spending twelve years in the House. Following this, Hon. Karimi Sunday, in an act of political statesmanship, stepped aside after his time, allowing Yagba East to enjoy their eight-year term, moving towards a balance between the two axis of the constituency. Now, by every principle of equity and understanding, it is the turn of Mopamuro to take their place at the table.

Yet, the scent of power, once tasted, is difficult to relinquish. Elder Leke Abejide, rather than stepping aside in line with the spirit of fairness that binds the people together, is determined to prolong his personal political dynasty. By 2027, should his inordinate ambition succeed, Yagba East would have enjoyed a staggering sixteen years at the expense of Mopamuro, further deepening the imbalance and threatening the fragile unity that has kept Yagba Federal Constituency politically stable.

This is not just about one man’s ambition. It is about what kind of politics we want to institutionalize for future generations. Will it be the politics of deceit and selfishness, where individual ambitions consistently override collective agreements? Or will it be politics of principle and fairness, where honor is not a negotiable currency and leaders understand that their role is to serve, not to dominate?

The people of Yagba must remember: history is a stern teacher. Those who ignore its lessons are often condemned to suffer its harshest punishments.

The choice, as always, is ours.

Olawale James Babalola wrote in from Abuja.