In the aftermath of the October 2013 Delta Central Senatorial by-election, an Ughelli-born reporter on his Facebook page wrote: “In a losing night, no one is lonelier than the loser.”
That post was apparently in reference to the pall of gloom that befell the strongholds of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in Delta State, not just in its stronghold of Delta Central, but all over Delta state after the excruciating loss, which may have snuffed the life out of the party and opposition in the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, had just been declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the high-stake by-election. While the victor and his supporters were basking in the joy of reclaiming ‘Urhobo land’ for the PDP, the anguish of the DPP was expressed by a deafening silence.
Beyond the loss of an election for DPP, defeat could turn out to be a devastating knockout punch for Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, the Abraka-born hitherto thorn-in-the-flesh of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party in the state.
Since his emergence in the political scene of the state in 2002, Ogboru popularly referred to as the ‘People’s General’, had enjoyed widespread support from across the three senatorial district of the state. Ogboru and the pineapple (ilelaja) icon of the DPP became the rallying point of the opposition in recent years.
Conversely, at the time of this report,
Niger Delta Report’s checks even among the most ardent supporters of Ogboru, showed that his support base has eroded since October 2013.
“There is so much that even the most ardent supporter can take before becoming battle-weary in the face of serial defeats over a decade,” a DPP supporter who recently returned to PDP in Udu told our reporter.
Although his name was not on the ballot for the October 2013 election, Ogboru went into the October contest with his political fortune, almost inextricably tied to its outcome. He had contested the governorship of the state on various platforms in four elections. He contested and lost against Chief James Ibori in the 2003 election. He also lost to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2007, January 2011 re-run and three months later. His defeat in the 2011 governorship came with some encouraging results in other elections. His DPP won a senatorial slot, two House of Representatives seats and no fewer than seven House of Assembly seats. With those results, he cemented his position as the face of opposition in the state.
But arguably the biggest catch was the senatorial seat won by the late Senator Pius Akpor Ewherido, who clinched the Delta Central Senatorial seat. Ewherido, a young vibrant and seasoned politician was the catalyst for some of the party’s successes in 2011. Along with Olisa Imegwu, who won a seat to represent Ndokwa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, they stirred interests in various constituencies and gave the DPP the needed fillip to lure members and compete.
Before Ewherido’s death on June 30, the DPP had already lost seats in both in the National Assembly and Delta State House of Assembly. Hon Efe Ofobruku, representing Uvwie constituency was one of the first to jump ships; he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Imegwu lost his seat, through the tribunal, to Hon Ossai Ossai of the PDP.
Ewherido’s death was a big blow and the state’s DPP was still reeling from its devastating impact when Ogboru led his ‘troops’ to the by-election, ironically, to replace the Ewu, Ughelli South Local Government Area-born Ewherido.
Sources within the PDP told
Niger Delta Report that even before Ewherido’s death, there was no love lost relationship between him and Ogboru. It was learnt that the friction was a clash of egos and the duo’s political ambitions.
Expectedly, the party also became fractured along the lines and influences of the two key players. Supporters of Ogboru accused Ewherido of ingratitude. They say after riding on wings of Ogboru to the red chambers of the National Assembly, the late senator tried to hijack the party. The late senator’s followers, on the other hand, said it was Ogboru who was not thankful for the role of Ewherido’s Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) machinery to the successes of DPP.
The face-off reached its crescendo when the late senator and his followers pitched their tents with newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC). Ogboru remained in DPP, much to the chagrin of top leaders of the party, who had been with him since his days in the Alliance for Democracy (AD). The division weakened both opposition parties. The party fractured from state through local governments to ward and unit levels in the various councils along the DPP/APC lines.
It was gathered that Ewherido’s argument for splitting with the DPP was that the APC was a more veritable platform for the opposition in the state to make impact. Conversely, Ogboru reportedly did not want a bigger sphere where his influence would be reduced.
“He felt that sticking with his party which was strongly grounded in Urhobo land would ensure his continued control rather than having to contest with the other parties that were merging to form the APC. But his greatest concern was that Ewherido would easily hijack the new party because of his connection at the national level,” a member of DPP state executive told our reporter.
Speaking with Niger Delta Report shortly before the election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who also left Ogboru to join the APC agreed with Ewherido that DPP was not strong enough for its members to achieve their aspiration.
“DPP is too small and this has been demonstrated time and time again. It is too small; even when it wins election, it cannot hold on to the victory. We need a bigger platform that can win and has the capacity to retain the victory.”
A passionate plea by Emerhor to forge a united and more formidable front was purportedly shunned by Ogboru, who insisted on proving his mettle and showing that his name was enough to conjure victory for the party. A victory for the party would also lay the overwhelming spectre of Ewherido over the party to rest and laid the foundation for Ogboru’s record fifth attempt at securing the seat at Government House Asaba in the 2015 election.
It was against this background that the ‘Peoples General’ charged his somewhat uninspired ‘troops’ to the by-election in October.
In the last hours of the election, his task seemed to get harder. First, some leaders of the party particularly those loyal to Ewherido’s PDM defected to the APC, while others broke their vows and returned to the PDP.
The last straw was the volte face of Hon Austine Ogbaburhon and Liege-Lord Keston, members representing Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency and Udu constituency in the National Assembly and state assembly respectively. Both men, who secured their political posts feeding from the ilelaja (pineapple) symbol of the DPP, sought the shade of PDP’s umbrella on Thursday, October 10 – barely 48 hours to the election.
The reception accorded the DPP defectors the opportunity to show how much of a big catch it was for the PDP. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; his deputy, Prof Amos Utuama; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Victor Ochei and chairman of the PDP in the South/South, Dr. Steve Oru were among PDP leaders who received them in Udu.
Even within the Ogboru clan, there were indications that all was not well. His brother and close confidant, Chief Julius Ogboru, pronounced DPP as a dead party and left to the ruling PDP. Julius and Turner formed the inner caucus of the DPP and Ogboru’s innermost circle of the DPP.
When the last result tumbled into the data bank of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ughelli in the early hours of Sunday, October 13, Chief Ede Dafinone, son of Senator David Dafinone, patriarch of the famous, recording-setting accounting family was counting his loss. So was Chief O’tega Emerhor, renowned financial expert, who most see as arguably the best candidate.
Nevertheless, the biggest loser is, no doubt, Chief Great Ogboru, whose defeat-weary supporters, most have felt ‘enough is enough’. Urhobo land, which was the bed of opposition to Uduaghan’s PDP-led government, has almost certainly returned to the PDP. Without Ewherido, Ogbaburhon and other elected political office holders, the ‘Peoples’ General’ is without a troop.
His dilemma is compounded by the acrimonious outcome of the DPP senatorial primary and the grievances of his long time supporters like Sir Richard Odibo and Hon. Napoleon Gbinije. The former was said to be particularly bitter about how he was schemed out, allegedly through the use of money. Odibo has since returned to the PDP.
At the time of this report ,three months after the election, not much had been heard from the ‘General’. He has gone mostly quiet, silencing any opposition to the ruling PDP.
However, political analysts in the state say it will be wrong to assume that Ogboru had gone into limbo. “We expect him to bounce back before the 2015 election. He has done it before and he will do it again.”
What remains to be seen is the percentage of his supporters who will still be around for his comeback. Also of interest to his supporters will be whether he chooses to remain with the DPP, align with the APC or return to the PDP, with which he flirted shortly after his return from a 10-year exile in 2000.
Whatever path he chooses, he may need to decide and act quickly.
“We are tired of supporting a candidate who only surfaces before an election and goes back into ‘hiding’ when the election is over,” one supporter said.
