Delta 2015: Power shift likely to Delta North on September 27, 2014 published by Vanguard Newspaper. Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South Rearrangement SOME months ago, the information was not quite clear, but up-to-the-minute findings seem to indicate that the governorship seat in Delta state in 2015 may go to the Delta North (Anioma) senatorial district, which is the only one of the three districts that has produced a governor since creation of the state in 1991. The permutation is only as far as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state is concerned. The former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, who still exercises considerable influence in the politics of his native Central (Urhobo) senatorial district, the incumbent governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (South senatorial district, comprising Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri), we gathered are reliably disposed to the Anioma 2015 agenda. Tony Obuh National Vice Chairman, South-South of PDP and Akinuwa of Anioma nation, Chief Cairo Ojougboh, voiced it loud at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, HRM (Prof) Chike Edozien that the leadership of the party was not against power shift to Anioma people, but maintained that the senatorial district must seek the support of the Central and South senatorial districts to make it happen. At the risk of being guillotined over it, Ojougboh said the Presidency, PDP leadership, chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih, Governor Uduaghan and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark were not against power shift to Anioma nation. Uncertainty At the last check, governorship aspirants from Delta North alone gunning for a single PDP ticket are over 24. But the gist that Ika-born Sir Anthony Chuks Obuh, who pensioned off from the Civil Service of Delta State, recently, after 32 years, is the one that has been anointed by the party establishment to take over from Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is commonplace in the state. Uduaghan denies sponsoring any candidate What is, however, ambiguous is if, indeed, Governor Uduaghan had picked Obuh from the pack. The governor denied , last month, that he had anointed any candidate, while elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, told one of the governorship aspirants from the district, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who visited him at his country home, Kiagbodo, lately, that he heard the rumour and inquired from the governor. According to him, Uduaghan said there was no truth in the prevalent claim. Clark said he believed what the governor told him. Obuh’s gubernatorial ambition is raging like fire in the state and last Saturday, at the Saint John Baptist Church Catholic Church, Agbor, where he held a thanksgiving service on his voluntary retirement from Delta Civil Service, the state practically emptied into Agbor. Level-playing field Former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Ochei, former Commissioner, Mr. Clement Ofuani and chartered accountant, Mr. Anthony Opone, who are among the aspirants from the district, disagreed that there was nobody beating the drum for Obuh, given the trend of things in the state. However, they all expressed unshaken position in the 2015 Anioma governorship agenda, but called for a level-playing field for all the aspirants. It was gathered that some displeased aspirants were already thinking of pursuing their ambition on the platforms of other political parties, but the guiding belief is that 2015 is for Anioma to produce the governor. Amori at Obuh’s reception At the carnival-like reception for Obuh shortly after the thanksgiving service, the national chairman of Urhobo Political Forum, UPF, a pressure group of the Central (Urhobo) senatorial district, also pushing for the 2015 governorship, Chief Ighoyota Amori, described by a living Urhobo governorship aspirant, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, as the living deity of Urhobo politics, featured prominently, fuelling the belief that he and other powerful Urhobo leaders have at last accepted power shift to the North. In fact, Amori was said to be one of the chief campaigners of Obuh for governor. Recent events in the state have also shown that aspirants from the other senatorial districts, who had decoded the handwriting on the wall, have toned down their campaigns and started lobbying for the slot of deputy governor. An influential Anioma leader hinted that two governorship aspirants from one of the senatorial districts approached him, last week, for support. He said the governorship ticket is open to all members of the party, but a decision had been taken that power will go to Delta North in 2015. Macaulay, others lend credence The presence of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, from Delta South senatorial district, who is one of the principal movers of the Obuh for governor project and other top PDP chieftains at the Obuh reception, also seem to give the impression that his candidacy is popular. Macaulay, who is the supervisory coordinator , Isoko Federal Constituency, Project Obuh 2015, said the aspirant was qualified to be governor of the state. Not a do-or-die affair – Obuh Before the church service, Obuh strolled in casually and self-confidently with few aides to a meeting with a group of senior journalists, where he declared unmistakably that he had not been anointed by Governor Uduaghan or any other person, saying that he had planned going into farming upon retirement, but changed his mind eight months earlier to serve the state at a higher level. The man said to have distinguished himself while in service, however, asserted that “if a candidate is not popular nobody will support him.” He stated, “For me, politics is not a do-or-die affair, if I do not win, I will congratulate the winner, I am not going to spill blood because of politics,” he said, denouncing the politics of acrimony and bitterness. Obuh said he believes firmly in the “Delta beyond Oil project” of Dr. Uduaghan and is in the position to drive it from where the incumbent governor will stop in 2015. The aspirant said the Songhai-Delta project was the idea of Chief Moses Kragha, who lost the governorship to former governor, Chief James Ibori, but Ibori implemented the idea because of its importance to the state, assuring that he would not throw away good ideas. Obuh spoke like a man with a mission and like the humble man he is generally acknowledged to be, refused to be dragged in to controversies and claims by foes that he was being set up to be a puppet. According to him, he was still making consultations on his governorship ambition with leaders, women, youths and other interest groups across the state, adding, “If you give me the opportunity, I will take Delta State to higher heights because I owe the state greater service.” Anioma Congress gives it to Obuh National president of Izu Anioma, Brigaider-General Alabi Isama, who spoke on behalf of the congress, Aniocha, Ndokwa, Oshimili and Ika ethnic groups at the reception, congratulated Obuh for his retirement and exceptional service to the state. He prayed that the candidate will win and become the next governor of the state, saying, “God has approved that we will have a leader in Tony Obuh.”
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 00:12:50 +0000