Festus Keyamo launches his Delta Central senatorial seat campaign in London



HUMAN rights lawyer Festus Keyamo launched his campaign for the vacant Delta Central senatorial seat in London last night pointing out that it was important to start things off in the diaspora because of how much influence their opinions carry.

Senator Pius Ewherido, who held the seat passed away on June 30 and a by-election is due soon to fill the position. Already, political jostling has started in Delta State, with an array of candidates putting themselves forward from the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Democratic Peoples' Party (DPP).

Mr Keyamo, a well-known lawyer who has represented activists such as Asari Dokuboh and Ganiyu Adams among others, is looking to run for the seat as the APC candidate. It is not yet clear if the APC and DPP will join forces in the state but negotiations are ongoing between the two parties as they hope to present a united opposition to the ruling PDP.

Senator Ewherido won the seat as a DPP candidate and his party has been the main opposition force in Delta State but nationally, the APC is now the most formidable opponent the PDP faces. Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission is yet to fix a date for the by-election but Mr Keyamo told a gathering of supporters at a Delta State Forum UK, meeting last night that their support is key to winning the seat.

Mr Keyamo added: "I thought it best to come here first to intimate you about what we are doing as people do not realise that Deltans in diaspora help to shape opinion back home far more than the elite. The reasons are because you have a bird's eye view of things, you see the entire situation and when you sneeze, it carries a lot of weight back home.

"Part of this is because it is impossible to influence you with money as 95% of the opinions back home are influenced by money. Also, at home, people do not know the force of ideas but you in the diaspora do as you see how things are played out in other lands and you also know that it is not he who has the money that has the right to rule as if that were the case, Dangote would be the president of Nigeria."

Pointing out that he is out to challenge the hold the Ibori dynasty wields in Delta State, Mr Keyamo said he wants to bring the politics of Urhoboland up to that which prevails in the more developed parts of Nigeria. Addressing a packed gathering on Delta State Forum UK members in Deptford in southeast London, Mr Keyamo said he wants to make ideas and not money the driving force behind politics.

He added: "I have had people call me and say I am more than capable but they then ask me how much I have to spend, saying that other candidates have N1bn (£4m) to splash out on the campaign. I want to be a voice for change as Urhobo voices are muted in Nigeria at the moment and about 95% of the opposition politicians in Delta State have worked for the PDP either covertly or overtly in the past.

Mr Keyamo added that one of the first things he will do when he gets into the senate will be to get it to publish the salaries and allowances of senators. He added that this is important in the current fight against corruption in Nigeria.

gramci: Why ridicule his potential voters, is that how he plays his own politics.

SMH

"Part of this is because it is impossible to influence you with money as 95% of the opinions back home are influenced by money. Also, at home, people do not know the force of ideas but you in the diaspora do as you see how things are played out in other lands and you also know that it is not he who has the money that has the right to rule as if that were the case, Dangote would be the president of Nigeria."

eGuerrilla:

I see what your concern lies.



But then, are you suggesting that he buries his penchant for speaking candidly, in order to become an establishment politician? Surely it is up to his advisers to sell his non-compromising message to any prospective voter who considers this missive a personal affront.

Personally, I would sooner back an atypical politician like Kenyamo than many of the swing-with-the-prevailing-wind jackals who currently occupy the senate.

eGuerrilla:

I see what your concern lies.



But then, are you suggesting that he buries his penchant for speaking candidly, in order to become an establishment politician? Surely it is up to his advisers to sell his non-compromising message to any prospective voter who considers this missive a personal affront.

Personally, I would sooner back an atypical politician like Kenyamo than many of the swing-with-the-prevailing-wind jackals who currently occupy the senate.