Reps 2027: Pondi Declares For Fourth Term, Vows To Consolidate Gains For Burutu Federal Constituency

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

The Member representing Burutu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Julius Pondi, has formally declared his intention to seek a fourth term in the 2027 general elections, pledging to consolidate legislative and development gains recorded in the constituency.

Pondi made the declaration on Wednesday during a well-attended meeting with political leaders, youth groups, and community stakeholders in Burutu, Burutu Local Government Area. The event drew ward chairmen, former councillors, women leaders, and party faithful from across the 11 wards of the constituency.

Addressing the gathering, Pondi said his decision was driven by “unfinished business” and the need to leverage his ranking status in the National Assembly for the benefit of Burutu.

“My journey in the Green Chamber has been about service, visibility, and results for our people. After 12 years, we have built networks, earned respect, and opened doors in Abuja that directly impact Burutu. A fourth term is not about me; it is about protecting that influence and finishing what we started,” Pondi said.

First elected in 2015, Pondi is currently serving his third term. As a ranking member, he sits on key committees and has sponsored bills and motions on coastal erosion, maritime security, Niger Delta development, and youth empowerment — issues central to the riverine constituency.

The lawmaker listed constituency projects facilitated under his tenure, including classroom blocks, health centres, solar-powered water schemes, skill acquisition centres, and youth/women empowerment programmes. He also cited scholarships, job placements, and the attraction of federal agencies’ interventions to Burutu.

“Burutu was often an afterthought in federal considerations. Today, we are in the room when decisions are made. That is what ranking membership gives you. To start afresh with a new person is to lose 12 years of goodwill,” he told supporters.

Party leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the meeting endorsed Pondi’s declaration, describing his representation as “stable, accessible, and productive.”

Pondi called for unity among Burutu people, urging political actors to avoid divisive rhetoric. While he did not mention opponents, he noted that “experience cannot be bought overnight” and asked constituents to “judge by records, not noise.”

“The politics of Burutu must remain issue-based. We are one people — Ijaw — with common challenges of flooding, infrastructure, and jobs. My track record is open. Let others show theirs,” he said.

If re-elected, Pondi would become one of the longest-serving federal lawmakers from Delta South Senatorial District.