By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
As the 2027 general elections approaches and as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) opens the campaign window, politicians seeking various offices have intensified their efforts to secure victory. In campaign rallies and press statements, they have outline reasons why voters should support their candidacies. However, at times, these campaigns messages and press statements include misleading assertions and attempts to shift blame for shortcomings onto opponents. Escalating claims and counter‑claims, coupled with public name‑calling and insults, have become increasingly common, and in their determination to win, some actors appear bent on removing every perceived obstacle or stumbling block in their path.
In Delta Central Senatorial District, across different political parties, the story has been the same. But no political interest in the real sense should drive politicians to insulting one another or trading abusive labels. For instance, the height Senator Ovie Omo‑Agege and Rt. Hon. Francis Waive, has attained as Deputy President of the Senate and as two term representative at the National Assembly, is already a honour to the Urhobo nation that ought to inspire dignity in debate but not descending into character assassination.
The latest flashpoint is a public quarrel between the former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo‑Agege and Hon. Francis Waive, the member representing Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency, over who did what to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ovwian Bill during the 9th Assembly.
Waive has alleged that Omo‑Agege asked him to “step down” the FMC Ovwian Bill to avoid conflict with the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun project. But Omo‑Agege’s camp has rejected the claim as false and insisted that documented timelines contradict the allegation. Without playing the silent answer game, Hon. Waive’s media office issued a statement insisting that “documents cannot speak for private conversations, while accusing Omo‑Agege of personal attacks on his faith, family and political history, and challenging him to stop name‑calling. Omo‑Agege’s aides, in turn, have described Waive’s account as a “reckless lie” aimed at tarnishing the senator’s name ahead of the 2027 Delta Central senatorial election, and have urged voters to reject Waive at the polls.
But the reality remains that insults damage more than to win. This kind of exchange may score short‑term points on social media, but it erodes the very foundations of representative democracy.
It shifts attention from projects done to personalities, and constituents hear more about who lied than about who delivered roads, schools or hospitals.
With the manners abusive languages is used all in the name of politics, it has therefore become harder for decent men and women to enter public service for fear of being dragged into mudslinging. Such languages, name calling and insults often deepens ethnic and communal fractures when leaders who should unite the people have become the ones weaponising identity and reputation. No doubt it distracts them from better and goid governance as every day spent trading insults is a day not spent thinking about the constituency, the constituents and even overseeing budgets, monitoring contracts or engaging ministries on FMC Ovwian, Federal Polytechnic Orogun, or other critical projects.
For the Urhobo people, the cost of fighting each other for personal interest is higher. Omo‑Agege rise to Deputy President of the Senate was widely celebrated as a collective achievement. But today, that celebration then has become bitterness and that office has become a position of insults, while the dignity of the entire nation is gradually diminishing. Thank God, the Delta Central has a well bred and intellectual material as it’s representative at the moment. A well civilized, exposed and respectful. He will never through insults on anyone but have often come out to state his position on issues bothering on the Senatorial District. His dispositions and approaches shows responsible politics. Politicians can disagree sharply without demeaning each other. They should stick to facts and records. Present legislative timelines, order papers, letters and committee reports rather than attacking faith, family or character. They should use institutions, not shrines, to settle disputes. If there is an allegation of misconduct, deceit, diversion of capital projects or constituency funds, such should be channeled through lawful investigations rather than daring opponents to “swear at the Igbe shrine.”
Though Separate campaign rhetoric from governance: Though campaigns are competitive and it should be separated from governance, but public statements about national projects should remain issue‑based and respectful. Leaders, especially those who have held national offices like Deputy Senate President and Hon. Waive who have won himself respect in the floor of the house should set the tone by refusing to trade insults even when provoked. To out Urhobo leaders, the height Omo‑Agege has attained is a honour to us all. No matter the political affiliations and party differences, that title and office should be protected by conduct that reflects that heights.
To the electorate and Delta Central Constituents, remember that you deserve facts, not personal attacks. When politicians reduce debates to name calling, it means they are often hiding weak records or thin arguments. Let us also remember that politics should be who can deliver better roads, better schools, better hospitals and better jobs not who can insult more creatively. If Urhobo leaders want to be remembered as builders rather than spoilers, they must draw a clear line by not allowing disagreements to be resolved through insults and name‑calling.
I also will urge media aides of both party’s to learn from the disposition of the refined Senator Ede Dafinone, who may have had different political ideology from that of former Senator Omo-Agege, but yet has not resolved to publicly insulting him or using abusive words but rather, speak with facts and records of his subtle achievements.
Godwin-Maria Utuedoye is a Journalist and writes from Effurun-Otor in Ughelli South Local Government Area