Who Funds the Attacks? The Circle of Life Question in Ogoja/Yala Politics
By David Odama Oko
There are several ways to identify a serious leader, but perhaps the most important is the ability to reflect, accept criticism, and learn from mistakes. Unfortunately, not everyone possesses that quality.
To those who have closely followed the politics of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency since 1999, the defeat of Hon. Godwin Offiono in the recent APC House of Representatives primary election came as no surprise. The outcome was not the result of conspiracy, manipulation, or external influence; it was simply the verdict of a people who had grown tired of poor representation and unfulfilled expectations.
Goffio, as he is popularly called, became a political product that could no longer attract buyers. His defeat was a direct consequence of his underwhelming performance as the member representing the good people of Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency. While legislators across the country were vigorously pursuing constituency projects, influencing policy, and fighting for the development of their people, he appeared more interested in carrying the briefcase of powerful figures in Abuja.
For years, his political strategy has been built around attaching himself to stronger political actors rather than building an independent political identity. In 2023, he rode on the political machinery of Senator Jarigbe Agom, hoping to secure electoral success through association rather than personal credentials. However, politics has a way of exposing reality. When the time came for him to defend his own record before party delegates, endorsements could not save him. The people asked a simple question: What has he done for Ogoja/Yala?
The answer was loud enough to cost him the APC ticket.
Rather than accepting the verdict of party members and reflecting on the reasons for his rejection, he appears to have embarked on a campaign of bitterness, blackmail, and political sabotage. Suddenly, an organization known as “Circle of Life” emerged from nowhere, launching allegations, sponsoring petitions, and instituting legal actions aimed at discrediting the APC candidate, Hon. Stella Odey.
This raises an important question: Who funds these attacks?
Who is behind the endless stream of petitions and court cases? Who benefits from every attempt to tarnish Stella Odey’s reputation? Who is desperately trying to achieve through the courts what he failed to achieve at the ballot box?
The answers are becoming increasingly obvious.
Many political observers believe that “Circle of Life” is nothing more than a convenient vehicle for a sore loser unwilling to accept defeat. The pattern is familiar. Whenever political battles do not go his way, legal technicalities suddenly become weapons of choice.
What is particularly amusing is the contradiction. You accuse someone of corruption, yet your primary objective is not justice but obtaining court orders to stop that person from participating in a party primary. It quickly becomes clear that the objective is not accountability; it is political frustration disguised as activism.
The people of Ogoja/Yala are wiser than that.
No organization, regardless of how dramatic its name may sound, can rewrite the reality on the ground. The truth remains that Godwin Offiono was rejected because of his record, not because of Stella Odey. His political challenge is not Hon. Stella Odey. His challenge is the memory of four years that many constituents consider wasted.
No “Circle of Life” can erase that record.
No sponsored petition can change the verdict already delivered by APC delegates.
No courtroom drama can substitute for performance.
Instead of financing distractions and encouraging smear campaigns, Hon. Offiono should take a step back and engage in honest self-reflection. He should ask himself why the people he sought to represent chose another candidate. More importantly, he owes the people of Ogoja/Yala an apology for four years that failed to meet their expectations.
Politics is not war. Defeat is not the end of life. Great leaders lose elections, learn lessons, rebuild relationships, and return stronger.
The path to political redemption is not through “Circle of Life.”
It is through accountability, humility, and genuine service to the people.
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