By Samuel Ogude(Warri)
There is no aorta of doubt, the 2023 general elections where Commodore Omatseye Nesiama(rtd) featured as one of the candidates who contested for Delta South Senatorial District on the platform of New Nigeria People’s Party(NNPP) has come and gone but the memory of the activities which culminated into the elections lingers on. While many losers have refused to accept defeat and congratulate their opponents who are the winners, others have gone to court to challenge the outcome of the results to show their dissatisfaction.
in his vintage style, the Commodore of Hope as he fondly called who has always asserted that he is not a professional politician but a professional in politics and who as is quite engaged and hands-on in business, entrepreneurship and mentorship of the youths, wasted no time in congratulating the announced winner of the election, Joel-Onovwakpo Thomas in the spirit of sportsmanship and moved on. In his message to the announced winner, the Commodore of Hope stated…
“Hearty congratulations on your election as Senator-elect representing the Delta South Senatorial District. It was a long hard fought contest and you came victorious at last. It is now time to move on. I therefore pray for God’s wisdom, guidance and protection as you carry out your task of handling your legislative responsibilities fairly and objectively in the interest of the entire Delta South. Please accept my very warm regards.”
The reason being that, going by the way the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Assembly and Governorship elections were conducted even with the use of BIVAS machines, they are of the beliefs that the elections were rigged by the declared winners and Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) but Commodore Omatseye Nesiama(rtd) has chosen a different path. Instead of Commodore Nesiama(rtd) going to court and institute unnecessary litigations, he congratulated Hon. Joel Onowakp Thomos on the platform of All Progress Congress(APC) who contested the same seat with him and won as can been seen above.
One of the agenda he set was that he wouldn’t spend his money to fight any court case; rather, he would win and let his opponents take him to court.
Commodore Nesiama has chosen this path on the ground that, at the outset of his political sojourn, he defined a clear agenda and pathway to follow which is quite different from what many knew about. He has told the electorate during his consultations and campaign that he has come to change the ideology which people have had, that, no benefit to enjoy saying, it is possible for things to get better than things used to be hence the mantra:” it is possible”. The message of ‘It Is Possible’ for the peoples’ hope to be restored and for their representatives to be accountable, was taken to the nooks and crannies of Delta Souths Senatorial District of which, riverine communities form a part. He sought the Peoples’ support and vote ahead of the election to enable him change the narratives in terms of the dividends of democracy in the area.
He toured the towns and villages in the morning, afternoon, evening and even at nights sharing his message of ‘Hope, Possibility and Accountability’ and everyone who heard his message believed and were convinced that the indeed the ‘Messiah’ of the Delta South politics has come. The Commodore of Hope’s action jolted the various political parties to become involved in intensive ward to ward campaigns to areas that they never planned to go. It is of fact that Commodore Nesiama(rtd) has always said that he is not a normal politician and did not intend to be one and as such, would not act, speak nor campaign like normal politicians do. His campaign was indeed different from that of the conventional politicians as his message and campaign style were completely different. He was the first person to bring out a comprehensive manifesto and visited places others couldn’t access.
He didn’t hire crowd nor campaign in the normal flamboyant style but was able to move round systematically to pass his message to all and sundry. He maintained his principle of ‘never going to bribe the people with money to serve them’ as he made them know that someone who truly wants to serve would not spend money bribing or buying votes. He is a man of integrity, character and intelligence. His presence and emergence made candidates of other parties to wake up from their slumber. His impact was indeed felt all over the Senatorial District. No wonder, after the election, he has become the toast of all the political parties with many making efforts to get him into their camp.
One would not forget in a hurry that during his consultations, there came the issue of flood which ravaged the state especially the constituency he was contesting to represent and he rose to the occasion. He mobilized his team and gave succor to them by way of food and materials and of course, the people did not fail to express their satisfaction over this.
It is no news that before the Presidential elections in Delta State, the various political parties and their candidates knowing the weight and political strategies of Commodore Nesiama(rtd), decided to adopt the political approach of the Delta South Senatorial Candidate of the New Nigerian People’s Party( NNPP) Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (rtd) in their campaigns months to the election in the State , this to make way for their victory. There is no dying the fact that, many are of the view that Commodore Nesiama(rtd) was a political threat to their ambition in the Delta South Senatorial race as his presence in the contest really made many of them to adopt different strategies thereby changing some of the conventional politicians whose hallmarks in trade is to rig, manipulate results, steal ballot boxes and engage in political violence in different forms.
The Commodore Nesiama’s(rtd) campaign strategy did not only energized the polity but made the electorate know that there are unknown candidates with pedigree, competence, capacity, capable to represent them and would be accountable to them and not to any godfather somewhere. Thus, we saw big names backed by political godfathers somersault and beaten flat.
Unfortunately and to the total dismay of many, Commodore Nesiama(rtd) lost the election in what many believed was a high level plan, betrayal and gang-up to slow down the advancement of his radical message of change and emancipation of the people. It was sad to note that the other money-bags that orchestrated poverty of weaponisation on the people, were able to sway the gullible with peanuts on the day of the election. By so doing, they were able to momentarily divert the peoples’ minds from the Commodore of Hope’s message and the kind of tomorrow they need for themselves and their children.
This is coming perhaps, because, Commodore Nesiama(rtd) was not on the ballot for the Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections, the gladiators regrouped and re-dusted their old strategy and doled out monies to the people. The people fell for the bait and voted for the highest bidders. What can be deduced from this is that, the disciples of the Commodore Nesiama’s message of hope, possibility and accountability need time grow because they are yet to be brought to the main stream of what the message is all about.
It is now clear every one needs to know that things are longer how it used to be as the old politicians who managed to win re-election no doubt, without being told, have been cautioned to imbibe the Commodore of Hope’s message of accountability and amend their ways or else, they will be voted out of office by the same people who elected them at the appropriate time. To be fore warned, is to be fore armed!.