A honest politician, like a chaste prostitute, is almost an oxymoron – a contradiction in terms. Still there are a few who are passably honest and stay true to the ideals associated with them from start to finish. By contrast, the nation had witnessed a tragic-comical episode of two young politicians who in the space of a few years have turned themselves into political nuisances.

From the day after the Ekiti Election until two weeks ago, I received several text messages from PDP supporters, as well as those who just wanted to taunt me for declaring my support for Governor Fayemi who lost the election. I was unperturbed because I know that a democracy means that there must be at least two candidates contesting and one person must win – irrespective of whether the election is free and fair. And the fact that the majority had selected the winner does not always mean that they have chosen wisely.

On Wednesday May 28, 2014, I went to visit an elder statesman, from the Niger Delta, in Nigeria. On the same day, several newspapers carried the story about Mrs Patience Jonathan asking (begging? ordering?) people to stop insulting her husband – the President. My senior friend/Oga took out his iPad and showed me an audio/visual recording titled Na You One Waka Come. That spoof mercilessly and viciously lampooned Jonathan and his wife. At first, I found the stuff amusing; then it became annoying and finally alarming.

Crimes have been committed in Akwa Ibom State – murders, kidnappings, arson, abduction, extortion – most of which had not been solved by the Nigeria Police or the SSS till today. By 2009, according to the Annual Report of the Nigeria Police, Akwa Ibom, hitherto low on the league table of states for crimes had risen to the number one position. It was definitely not the sort of “trophy” any state governor would like to keep on his shelf.

I expected a response from Akpabio. But, threat of death for those he described as “politicians seeking power through backdoor”, whatever that means, was not one of them. I had also hoped that Akpabio through his spokespersons or directly to the public would disclaim the statement credited to him. “I was misquoted” has, after all become the standard cry of politicians who realize that they have said something better left unsaid. But, three days had passed and there had been no denial. Are we then supposed to understand that a governor in the democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria is declaring death on people who have not been tried for any crime warranting a death sentence?