Bomadi/Patani Constituents Protest 27-Year Tenure of Nicholas Mutu

Residents of the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, demanding an end to the prolonged representation of the constituency by Nicholas Mutu in the House of Representatives after 27 years in office.

The demonstrators, who carried placards with different inscriptions and sang solidarity songs, urged the leadership of the APC to promote fairness, equity, political inclusion, and democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general elections. They maintained that the constituency needed fresh leadership and wider opportunities for others to serve.

Some of the placards displayed during the protest read: “28 years is enough, expand the political space,” “Democracy must allow leadership renewal,” “Patani deserves fair representation; no office should be occupied forever,” and “Allow democracy to breathe in Bomadi/Patani.”

According to the protesters, the continuous occupation of the federal constituency seat by one individual since the return of democracy in 1999 has limited political growth, weakened leadership succession, and reduced opportunities for broader participation within the constituency. They argued that democratic representation should encourage inclusiveness and periodic change in leadership.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, President of the Bomadi/Patani Concerned Citizens Forum, Mr. Chris Anthony, stated that democracy was never designed to become a lifelong political entitlement for any individual. He explained that the agitation across the constituency was not driven by personal hatred toward Mutu, but by a genuine call from the people for political renewal and a new phase of leadership.