Rep. Francis Waive representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu) federal constituency of Delta, has raised concerns over continuous decline in the voting population of Delta Central Senatorial District.
Waive made the remark while addressing party chieftains at the Delta Central APC Leaders and Stakeholders meeting on Sunday at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area.
He warned that the diminishing voter base threatened the district’s political weight both in the State and at the national level.
Waive, who chairs the House Committee on Rules and Business, recalled that Delta Central was once the dominant electoral bloc in the state.
According to him, when Delta State was created in 1991, the district contributed nearly 60 per cent of the total votes cast statewide.
”Today, he lamented, that figure has plunged to roughly 30 per cent, a sharp decline he described as alarming and inexplicable, ” he added.
The lawmaker noted that the district had not faced any war, epidemic, natural disaster, or displacement that could justify such a drastic drop.
He cited several local government areas that previously posted more than 50,000 votes in past election cycles but now struggle to muster a fraction of those numbers.
“Something is clearly amiss,” he cautioned, stressing that ignoring the trend would have dire long-term consequences.
He urged leaders to take immediate responsibility for reversing what he called ‘a dangerous pattern of political weakening’.
With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) currently conducting voter registration, Waive emphasised that political mobilisation must begin at once.
He appealed to traditional rulers, community leaders, youth groups and party structures to encourage every eligible citizen aged 18 and above to register without delay.
He also called on indigenes residing outside the state to return home and be counted.
”Voter strength remains the bedrock of political influence. He noted that even electoral malpractice cannot exceed the number of registered voters in any polling unit.
“If a polling unit has only 100 registered voters, then 100 is the ceiling. No amount of manipulation can produce more than what is recorded,” he said.
He warned that if the trend continued unchecked, ”future generations might view today’s Urhobo leaders as having failed politically, a legacy he urged the current leadership to avoid’.
Waive also stressed that the district’s relevance in both Asaba and Abuja would be determined by the level of support the APC delivers in the coming presidential and governorship elections.
He charged party members to take the mobilisation campaign to every ward, unit and community, insisting that Delta Central must reclaim its historical strength.
While expressing confidence in the APC’s chances, he cautioned that electoral victory alone was not enough without solid numbers from Delta Central.
He said, the district must not allow its political significance to erode due to voter apathy or poor mobilisation.
