The various political parties in
Delta State have conducted their primaries and had picked the candidates that
would fly the flags of their parties in the February general elections. The primaries
of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) were more of intrigues, manipulations
and scheming. The Peoples’ Democratic Party had more contestants than other
political parties vying for the governorship ticket being the ruling party in
the state and at the national level. Contestants employed wits to outwit their
opponents. It was alleged that money exchanged hands during the primaries and delegates
who collected money from aspirants were compelled to swear with Bible and
anointing oil so they would not vote for their opponents. At the end of the
day, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, emerged the candidate to fly the flag of the PDP in
the February governorship election.
It is evident that Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa is the greatest beneficiary of the Ibori’s dynasty owing to the
fact that he occupied various political appointments during the administration
of ex-governor James Ibori and also continued with that of his successor
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. At the commencement of the James Ibori’s administration
in 1999, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa was appointed Commissioner of Agriculture and
Natural Resources; that was between July 1999 and April 2001. He was again
appointed Commissioner for Water Resources Development between April 2001 and
May 2003. Okowa appeared on the scene once more as Commissioner for Health;
that was between September 2003 and October 2006. In addition, he became
Secretary to the State Government in June 2007 immediately Governor Emmanuel
Uduaghan assumed office. Okowa also occupied the office of the Secretary to the
State Government till he was elected Senator to represent Delta North in the National Assembly. One may be tempted
to question the reason behind the recount of the political journey of Okowa in
Delta State. It is to state the fact that Okowa was the longest serving
political office holder in Delta State government since the country returned to
democracy in 1999. The retell of the political journey of Okowa in Delta State
is vital at a time like this.
Unambiguously, Mr. Tony Obuh was
the choice governorship candidate of incumbent Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan but the
Sunday which preceded Monday 8, December, 2014, the primaries were held, it was
alleged that Governor Uduaghan had dumped Obuh for Olorogun David Edevbie. This
position allegedly taken by Uduaghan is doubtful because he couldn’t have
garnered support for Edevbie over night! David Edevbie was the Commissioner for
Finance during the administration of Governor James Ibori. This sudden change
of the political plan came as a rude shock to the people of Delta North who had
demanded for the governorship seat for the sake of equity. Delta North people
were of the belief that if Edevbie was allowed to win the governorship election,
it would be a continuation of Ibori’s dynasty in the affairs of the state. The
concern of this writer is this, how would the election of Olorungun David
Edevbie have been a continuation of Ibori’s dynasty in the affairs of Delta
State? What is Ibori’s dynasty in the affairs of the state? What does Ibori’s
dynasty in the affairs of the state implies? Does it also mean that if Senator
Ifeanyi Okowa wins the governorship election is a continuation of Ibori’s
dynasty in the affairs of the state? These questions need urgent answers to
clear the confusing minds of the people of Delta State. Edevbie served as
commissioner only in the Ibori’s administration. Certainly, Okowa had the
longest service in Delta State beginning from 1999 to 2011 before he was
elected a senator same year. Okowa served both ex-governor James Ibori and
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administrations. If he was not favourably disposed
to both, it wouldn’t have been possible for him to have been appointed to the
various offices he occupied. He won the senatorial election owing to the supports
and popularity he had garnered over the years from the offices he had held from
1999 to 2011.
The emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the
PDP governorship candidate was to a large extent the supports accorded him by staunch
supporters of ex-governor James Ibori who believed the next governor should come from Delta North. Thus,
delegates from Ethiope West, Ethiope East, Okpe, Sapele, Uvie, Warri South
Local Government Areas and some from Ughelli North voted for Okowa at the
primaries. Without these delegates who were committed to the actualisation of
Delta North governor, there was no way Okowa could have won the PDP
governorship primaries!
Another thing that also attracted
the attention of this writer in certain publications was the insinuation by the
people of Delta North that the advertorial in some newspapers by the Urhobo
Progress Union, directing all Urhobo delegates to vote for Edevbie as their
consensus candidate from Urhobo land amounted to seeing the state governorship
as a preserve of Urhobo land was worrisome. This is so because the delegates
from the local government areas mentioned above were all Urhobos yet they voted
for Okowa in the primaries. This explanation is necessary to disabuse the minds
of the people of Delta North that Urhobos do not see the state governorship as
their exclusive right; the incumbent governor is not an Urhobo!
From all indications, if Okowa wins the
governorship election is a continuation of Ibori’s dynasty in the affairs of
the state; this is so because he served in both ex-governor James Ibori and
incumbent Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administrations. Olorogun David Edevbie
only served in the government of ex-governor James Ibori; his election couldn’t
have been a continuation of Ibori’s dynasty in the affairs of the state.
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