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  • 2027: Ogboru’s political journey and rumours of playing Oborevwori’s script

    2027: Ogboru’s political journey and rumours of playing Oborevwori’s script

    • By Jeckins Ejiro Wisike

    Ordinarily, it is expected that every adult citizen of Delta State should think rationally and objectively to be discerning enough to separate truth from falsehood. I  wouldn’t have responded to such petty, myopic political gossip; however, it became necessary to address the false speculations that Chief Great Ogboru moved to APC and later to ADC, acting Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s script.

      These unfounded and fabricated rumours are nothing but blatant lies from the pit of hell, cooked by some disgruntled and unscrupulous elements with the intent to malign the integrity and legacy of Chief Great Ogboru. The claim that he is working for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s re-election against Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege is not only baseless, mischievous, but a calculated attempt to pull him down to mislead the public.

     It will be necessary to ask the following questions about how any reasonable and supposed adult would decide to spread fabricated stories to tarnish the image of a high-profile personality like Chief Great Ogboru for the purpose of the 2027 elections. And also disbelieving for a supposed enlightened person(s) to accept every rumour trending on social media without critical analysis, mostly when there is no evidence to support such damaging claims.

     People like us, who have been with him for the past 24 years, have followed and been abreast with his political journey in Delta State, and can testify without mincing words that Chief Great Ogboru has, to date, been enjoying the overwhelming support of all Deltans in all his governorship races. And such a highly profiled personality couldn’t be referred to as playing the script of who? Gov. Oborevwori? A successful international businessman whose financial history is known and documented by institutions such as CBN, EFCC and Nigerian Ports Authority.

     A man who became a millionaire at 25 and a multimillionaire in dollars by 28 through his fisheries investment, spanning over 42 years across African countries. To say such a man is taking political directives from anyone is not only laughable but deeply disrespectful. In 2003, when Chief Great Ogboru contested the governorship under Alliance for Democracy (AD), people called it a “Yoruba party” that Urhobos shouldn’t associate with it. Today, many of those same people are in the APC, which grew out of that very party.

     In 2007, when he moved to the DPP, the same people mocked the party for having no national presence. Yet, someone became a senator, and another became a House of Representatives member, while about 11 people became Delta State House of Assembly members through that same party, only to later destroy it because they didn’t want Chief Ogboru to become governor.

     In 2013–2014, during the APC merger process, Chief Ogboru, leading the DPP, pulled out due to the manipulations of these same individuals, who rejected the agreed formula that would have given DPP fair representation in the new APC structure in Delta State. In 2015, he joined the Labour Party, and these same critics again tried to ridicule him. Yet under him, the party produced a Senator and two members of the Delta State House of Assembly, and many became beneficiaries.

     For years, these same individuals have accused Chief Ogboru of refusing to associate with the political class. Now, after one election in which he didn’t go to court, they went on to spread a false story that he’s now “holding brief” for Governor Oborevwori. Height of hypocrisy. Let me clarify one thing: Chief Ogboru’s son, Michael Ogboru, who was appointed by Gov. Oborevwori, accepted the role merely as a sign of respect, not because Chief Ogboru is politically aligned with the Governor.

     In fact, Michael ceased participating in that administration as far back as September 2023. As for other appointees allegedly loyal to Chief Ogboru, many of them do not even know the road to the Government House in Asaba, nor can the Governor identify them. Chief Ogboru maintains relationships with several politicians across party lines, including Chief James Ibori, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Dr Arthur Okowa, Chief Ighoyota Amori, and Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege and others, not because of political alignment, but because he believes in the politics of sportsmanship, and not bitterness.

     Chief Ogboru remains committed to the vision of transforming Delta State and continues to pursue his political aspirations, guided by his enduring principles and love for the people. And yet, he was never a contractor to any tier of government in Nigeria. He has never done, and is not doing, any direct or indirect contract with any government at the federal, state, or local level.

    Read Also: 3.553 million voters for August 16 legislative bye elections

     It could be recalled that in 2002, Chief Great Ogboru formed the South-South Rainbow Coalition (SSRC), a political pressure group, alongside other prominent Nigerians. He later used this platform to lead his followers into the Alliance for Democracy (AD), where he emerged as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2003 election, against the then-incumbent Governor, Chief James Ibori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

     During the campaign, Chief Ogboru and his supporters faced intense political persecution. The state government and the PDP used all their powers to intimidate his supporters, denied him access to public campaign venues, and restricted his appearances on government-controlled media. His only option was to campaign physically from town to town.

     Despite these challenges, Chief Ogboru won the popular vote in the 2003 election. However, the results were manipulated in favour of the PDP. As a law-abiding citizen, he filed a petition at the Governorship Election Tribunal to challenge the outcome, pursuing the case up to the Court of Appeal. Unfortunately, the legal process was deliberately delayed through numerous adjournments throughout Chief James Ibori’s four-year tenure, and the petition was eventually dismissed without a proper hearing.

     During this time, the PDP-led government in Delta State further sought to weaken Ogboru by targeting his businesses to diminish both his political and financial strength. The 2003 elections were marred by irregularities: ballot boxes were snatched and pre-filled in private residences of PDP members, often in the presence of complicit law enforcement officers. These events seriously undermined democratic principles and deeply affected him, his followers, but yet, Chief Ogboru remained undeterred.

    2007 election and the betrayal of Urhobo interests

     In 2007, Chief Ogboru contested the governorship under the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), running against Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of the PDP, an Itsekiri man alleged to be maternally related to Chief James Ibori.

     During the voter registration exercise for the 2007 general election and 2011 general election, many Urhobo politicians within the PDP collected political incentives and mobilisation fees to register politically unaware sons and daughters of Urhobo kingdoms in riverine Ijaw and Itsekiri communities as voters. This was done to artificially inflate the voting population in those areas, strategically disadvantaging Chief Ogboru.

     Sadly, they did not foresee the long-term consequences. In trying to win the election for the PDP, they inadvertently empowered the riverine communities politically, weakening Urhobo influence. Today, many Urhobo politicians, despite being in power, have become politically irrelevant and now depend on the Ijaw, Itsekiri, and Ika people for political and financial support. A tragic irony.

     The 2007 election was widely condemned as flawed. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not conduct a proper election but instead wrote fictitious results in favour of the PDP. In response, Chief Ogboru filed a petition, which was initially dismissed, but the Court of Appeal in Benin overturned the decision on October 4, 2010. The court ruled that the 2007 election was invalid and ordered a rerun, which took place on January 6, 2011.

     Even in the rerun, the manipulation persisted. INEC reused the same fraudulently accredited registered voter list, filled with fictitious names from the riverine communities—individuals originally mobilized by PDP Urhobos to defeat Chief Ogboru.

     Ogboru’s true victories and INEC’s alleged manipulations

     In the 2007 general election, the 2011 rerun, and the 2011 general election, Chief Ogboru was widely regarded as the actual winner, based on genuine votes. However, INEC declared manipulated results, relying on inflated figures from riverine LGAs such as Warri North, Warri South-West, Burutu, and Patani. Shockingly, many Urhobo PDP leaders continued to betray their own people, enabling this injustice.

     This conspiracy against the Urhobo nation, under the guise of opposition to Chief Ogboru, has left a painful legacy. Once-proud Urhobo leaders now look up to their riverine counterparts as political and financial patrons. What a reversal of fortune.

    2015 and 2019 elections: Repeating the pattern

     In the 2015 and 2019 general elections, Ogboru contested again, this time against Senator Dr. Arthur Okowa, an Ika man. These elections were also manipulated, with results arbitrarily written in PDP’s favour. In both instances, PDP’s votes even exceeded the total number of accredited voters in the whole state, which was clearly a violation of the Electoral Act.

     Fictitious votes were generated from sparsely populated rural communities in Delta North and the riverine Delta South. This manipulation stemmed from the same voter registration fraud that began in 2007 to 2011, wherein Urhobo voters were registered in riverine areas to favour the PDP. As a result, the true population strength of urban Delta Central was politically diluted. Ogboru challenged these outcomes up to the Supreme Court, citing widespread irregularities and fictitious votes.

    Legal battles and judicial injustice

    Chief Ogboru has filed more election petitions than any other Nigerian, including those in 2003, 2007, 2011 (rerun and general), 2015, and 2019, except for the 2023 election, which he didn’t contest due to advice from close allies, given past experiences.

    Key facts about his legal struggles include:

     1. In 2007, the Delta State Government, in collusion with the Nigeria Police, unlawfully declared Chief Ogboru wanted with a ₦25 million bounty, with so much harassment and intimidation on his political followers, just to prevent him from filing a petition against the PDP and INEC. 2. His 2003 petition against Ibori lasted 46 months, while the case against Uduaghan dragged on for over three years.

    3. The Supreme Court, due to Ogboru’s persistence, recommended time limits for election petition cases, leading to the current legal framework. 4. Ironically, Chief Ogboru became the first victim of this statute of limitations in 2011 when the Court of Appeal failed to deliver judgment within the required 60 days, as prescribed by Section 285(7) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, through no fault of his own.

     Yet, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case based on this technicality, despite his request to nullify just 11,000 fraudulent votes from riverine areas like Koko town. 5. His lawyer, Dr. Dickson Osuala, was fined ₦8 million for asking the Supreme Court to reverse its decision, a punishment that shocked many in the legal community.

     6. During the 2015 and 2019 tribunals, INEC’s lawyers argued that INEC guidelines had no legal force, meaning the use of card readers (a fraud-prevention tool) was “unknown to law.” This rationale was used to validate questionable votes, and the Supreme Court upheld this position.

     Legacy of integrity and perseverance

     Unfortunately, some individuals continue to spread lies against Chief Great Ogboru, an innocent man who has relentlessly pursued justice. He is the only Nigerian to have contributed so significantly to the development of Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence through legal action.

     Chief Great Ogboru, affectionately called The People’s General, has proven himself a man of peace, due process, integrity, and modesty. His political journey, though fraught with betrayals and injustice, remains a symbol of unwavering courage in the face of systemic oppression.

     Those peddling falsehoods against him should desist and instead focus on real political issues, such as the development of Delta State, not the selfish “politics of stomach infrastructure” that now dominates Nigerian politics.

  • Ogboru: APC govt won’t dissapoint Nigerians

    The governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) and Co-ordinator, APC Presidential Campaign Council in Delta State, Great Ogboru, has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari on his inauguration today.

    Ogboru, in a statement described President Buhari as an epitome of good leadership.

    He said as President Buhari second term in office today, the APC congratulates him as their gallantry leader who has meant well for the overall wellbeing of Nigerian as an entity.

    He passed a vote of confidence in Mr. President’s leadership quality and attributes, saying that his pursiut of economic repositioning, infrastructural renewal, agricultural revolution, war against graft, educational development has proven him a man of integrity.

    Ogboru added: “As the President leads this great nation to the next level, the All Progressive Congress and the good people of Delta State wish our exemplary leader, a renewed vigor, good health, greater strides and God’s guidance.

    “We have no doubt that the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari will not only strengthens the unity of our great nation, we are confident that as you assume office, Nigeria will be greater and stronger in unity, wealth and sustainable development.”

     

  • Court disqualifies Ogboru as APC governorship candidate

    A Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State, has nullified the September 30, 2018 governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which produced Great Ogboru as its candidate.

    The plaintiff, Victor Ochei, dissatisfied with the conduct of the primaries, approached the court seeking a cancellation of the primaries and its declaration as invalid.

    Ochei’s prayers, among others, included the invalidating the results of the primaries, and that the list of delegates was not that envisaged by the consent judgment. He also sought a declaration that the aspirant did not get any advanced list of delegates prior to the primaries.

    Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ordered the cancellation of the APC governorship primaries that produced Chief Great Ogboru. He said four of the five reliefs sought by the plaintiff succeeded while relief four was not granted due to the effusion of time.

    He said: “All the reliefs sought in this suit are similar to those for which Justice Adegoke pronounced judgment on. So we grant reliefs 1,2,3,5. But relief four is rejected because the governorship election is over and the relief is spent.”

    In arriving at the judgment, Justice Dimgba said the Federal High Court has one jurisdiction and so cannot be seen giving discordant judgments.

    He said: “Having considered the decisions reached by the Federal High Court in the case of Cyril Ogodo which has similar reliefs, and the fact that some of the defendants in this suit are the same, the court has decided to follow the decisions arrived at in the Ogodo case.”

  • Abe, Emerhor, Ogboru others hail victory

    Senator Magnus Abe (Rivers South East) has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his re-election as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    A statement by Abe’s spokesman, Parry Benson, congratulated Buhari and Nigerians who helped make history.

    The Senator urged the government to punish those found guilty of electoral offences no matter how highly placed. He condemned the violence in Rivers State and other parts of the country.

    Abe said though the elections were far from being perfect, it, however, satisfied the yearnings and aspirations of the majority of Nigerians.

    The statement reads: “Though the elections were in no way perfect, but nobody can dispute the fact that it has answered the yearnings of majority of Nigerians. It is a clear expression of the wish of the Nigerian people for continuity and progress.

    “We, therefore, call on Atiku Abubakar and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to accept the people’s verdict and extend their hand of fellowship to the President-elect so that we can work together.”

    Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has congratulated President Buhari for his re-election.

    Emerhor, in a statement yesterday in Warri, also thanked Nigerians for trusting the president enough to give him another chance at serving the country.

    According to the chieftain, Nigerians should be assured that President Buhari would continue to deliver on his promises to them.

    Emerhor, who praised his followers, especially the over 4,000 Buhari canvassers and their coordinators, said he contributed to delivering more than the required 25 per cent to the party.

    He said: “I write on behalf of the Mainstream APC in Delta State, to greet president-elect, President Muhammadu Buhari, for his landslide victory in the February 23 elections.

    “We have no doubt that your victory was well-deserved in view of your visible achievements in your first four years. I also thank Nigerians for voting to move the country forward, and giving our President four more years to consolidate on the foundational achievements of his first four years…”

    The Delta State governorship candidate of the APC, Great Ovedje Ogboru, described President Buhari’s victory as a testimony of his good works in the last four years.

    Ogboru said the victory is an indication of the confidence Nigerians have in Buhari despite the attacks and criticisms on him.

    The candidate also hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting credible elections, saying the victory has revealed how much Nigerians love Buhari.

    He said: “From the onset, I knew Buhari was going to win because he has done a lot for Nigerians, and I was optimistic that he would be rewarded with votes. This has shown that good work deserves appreciation, and Nigerians exhibited that last Saturday.”

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide also hailed the victory.

    A statement by the spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, described President Buhari’s victory as a testament of the level of acceptance he enjoyed in the country.

    He, however, urged the President to reward the efforts and support he received from the Niger Delta by developing the region in his second term.

    Prior to the election, IYC endorsed Buhari and gave reasons why the region should vote for him.

    Dasimaka said beyond the endorsement, like minds in IYC worked to garner votes for the President following their conviction that he meant well for the region.

    He said: “We congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and urge him to treat his victory as a victory for all Nigerians, and see the country, including regions and state where he did not win, as his constituency.

    “We urge the President to utilise and build on the support he and his party received from the Niger Delta by developing the region and Ijaw land…”

  • Buhari’ll be President till 2023, says Ogboru

    The Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, is confident that President Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates of the party in the area will emerge victorious.

    Speaking with journalists shortly after casting his ballot at Abraka Ward 1, unit 8, yesterday, Ogboru said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has done so well and deserved another term in office to complete his good work.”

    He described the elections as ‘quite peaceful’. “I’ve just voted, though there were rumours of some technical issues about the machines. I have no iota of doubt about the victory of APC candidates,” he said.

    “l know we shall win, and I hope that the elections will be peaceful in other places, I heard that people are still trying to snatch ballot boxes in some places, but I don’t see the need for that when the election is peaceful.”

    Ogboru advised registered eligible voters to vote for all APC candidates to maintain peace, saying that the future is bright for all APC candidates and that they are not expecting anything short of victory for President Buhari, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege and House of Representatives’ candidates.”

    Read Also: Ndoma-Egba wins polling unit, Buhari also

    Senator Ovie Omo Agege, APC Senatorial flag bearer in Delta Central, also brimmed with confidence yesterday about the chances of APC candidates in yesterday’s elections.

    Speaking with journalists in Orhomurho- Orogun, Ward 1, Unit 019 where he voted, Omo-Agege said the elections were peaceful and urged voters to go out and vote.

  • Election postponement is an occupational hazard – Ogboru

    The governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, Great Ovedje Ogboru has described the postponement of Saturday’s election as an occupational hazard that could happened at any given time, urging his supporters to remain firm in preparation to cast their votes next Saturday. Ogboru who made this statement while addressing news men at his country home, said INEC that postponed the election should ensure a credible election is eventually conducted.

    “It is better late than never; so I am not surprised about the postponement, neither will I say I’m disappointed because if INEC in it’s wisdom says they postponed the election to conduct a more credible election. I think it’s best  thing to do”.  He appealed to his supporters who were shocked over the postponement to be calm.

    “I just want you to know that INEC postponing the election is an occupational hazard and it can happen any time. So when you are planning for election you also prepare that it may be postponed. But on a lighter note, it should not have happened.” Ogboru noted.

  • UPU endorse Buhari, Ogboru, Omo-Agege

    The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) has endorsed President Muhammedu Buhari, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru and Sen Ovie Omo-Agege as candidates for the Urhobo nation.

    A statement by the President-General, Chief Joe Omene, and National Secretary Martins Umukoro, including the youth, women and men wings, said the union endorsed Buhari for having picked an Urhobo son as governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Omene, who addressed union members, said Urhobo will not and cannot vote or support anybody and party that plans to sell the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or any other public property.

    He said: “We reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Atiku Abubakar because he vowed to sell NNPC, same attitude he exhibited when they bought DSC and NEPA when he was Vice President to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    “Ogboru is the only candidate that is best recognised and accepted by all Deltans. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is the worse governor Delta State has ever had since its creation.

    “Ogboru has been winning election but has always been rigged out because of the PDP powers at the federal level, but thank God that power is no longer there.”

    Omene added that the Urhobo nation could not continue to have one tenure senator in the House of Asembly, hence they endorsed Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for a second term because he has performed well and needs to go back as a principal officer in 2019.

     

  • Okowa, Ogboru, absent from BBC-pidgin Delta gov debate

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, the PDP candidate for March 2 governorship election and Chief Great Ogboru, his APC counterpart, were absent at the BBC Pidgin-organised debate in Asaba on Thursday.

    Also absent was Mr John Akwara, of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the debate billed to feature candidates of six political parties selected from about 50 registered governorship candidates in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the candidates who participated were Frank Esanubi of the African Action Congress (AAC), Odiakpo Obire of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and Brando Omu of All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP).

    Each of the candidates took turn to proffer solutions to problems bothering on security, economy, education, restructuring, sports and jobs creation, among others in the state, urging the electorate to vote them in.

    They accused the current and past administrations of poor performance and promised to speedy up development in the various sectors to bring succor to the people, if elected.

    They pledged to diversify the economy of the state through investment in agriculture and other mineral resources and create jobs.

    Each of them also pledged to invest in sports to create jobs and properly engage the youths as well as address issues bothering on the physically challenged and other disadvantaged groups in the state .

    Esanubi specifically pledged to create 20,000 jobs annually by releasing N1 million to each graduate of the state origin, adding that the party would budget N20 billion annually for that purpose.

    He also pledges to revamp the educational system by introducing skills acquisition into the curricula of the state’s tertiary institutions to enable the graduates acquire skills outside their disciplines.

    On his part, Obire promised to build industries and create opportunities for small scale businesses to thrive in the state as well as create jobs for the teaming unemployed youths.

    He pledged to give loans and other financial support to those willing and capable to run their own businesses in the state.

    Omu pledged to attract one industry to every local government area in the state to engage the youths and also to set up micro-finance companies to support the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

  • Ex-militants endorse Buhari, Ogboru

    The Urhobo Ex-militant group has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for the February 16 presidential election.

    The group also endorsed Delta State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  Great Ovedje Ogboru.

    The chairman, Gen. Abraham Ekokotu, who addressed reporters in Otor-Udu, Udu Local Government Area of Delta State, said President Buhari’s re-eleection, and the election of Ogboru, are not negotiable.

    Ekokotu lamented that Deltans have suffered too long in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bad government, saying the time has come for Ogboru to take what belongs to him.

    He said: “We call on all women, men and youths to go for their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to vote President Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and others in the general elections. We will ensure all our members participate in the exercise.

    “We are not ignorant of the fact that Ovedje Ogboru has won several elections in the state, but has always be denied because of the federal might. But we know that this time around, having him in a party like APC, there is no doubt that his votes will count, and that is why we are appealing to all to turn out en masse to vote for him.

    “We appeal to all Urhobos at home and in Diaspora to mobilise and support the candidature of all APC aspirants to ensure that the victory is achieved at the end of the day through the power of their PVC.”

  • Okowa, Ogboru: Who wins Delta governorship poll?

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are warming up for next year’s governorship election in Delta State. Cogent Owhe examines the factors that will shape the exercise.

    Although many political parties are fielding candidates for the governorship election in Delta State, the contest is a two- horse race between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC). I shall therefore limit myself to highlighting the electoral fortunes of Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru of APC and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa of PDP in the forthcoming election.

    Unarguably, voters in the state can be categorised into two baskets of apostles of competence/performance or zoning/ethnic sentiments proponents.

    In my evaluation and prognosis, I shall be confining myself to trending issues , opinions gathered from preliminary survey and intereactions with Deltans across the three senatorial districts.

    All over the state, the verdict of failure passed on the performance of Okowa in the past three years plus is bi-tribal. From civil servants who are being owed salaries  for at least eight months and more,  whose pains are multiplied by the brazen denial and misleading media information to the contrary, churned out by the governor,  through jobless youths who the state governor does not have a palliative package for,  to other residents denied basic services of pedestrian infrastructures such  as good roads, hospitals etc. The song and refrain is that Dr. Okowa is a  burden to the state.

    The popular sentiment among Deltans is that his abysmal failure is not a function of revenue streaming into the state since he assumed office, but incompetence.

    Respondents are quick to cite amazing achievements of governors of Kebbi, Cross River and Anambra states who get les revenue than Delta State. Regrettably, Dr Okowa does not have any record of managerial success, prior to his public service that can inspire confidence in voters to risk returning him to  govern the state in 2019.

    However, Okowa, undeniably a medical  doctor,  a profession which nitwits dare not aspire to,  appears to be performing below what is expected of gifted people which medical doctors supposedly.

    In sharp distinction, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, the partriach of the once famous Fiograte conglomerate who provided empoyment for Bendelites and Nigerians at large, when his group of companies were cynosures of the Nigeria economy before they were shut down by a reactionary government, is viewed by many as a better manager of resources and therefore possesses the qualities to transform the fortune of the state.  That assertion is supported by the fact of Ogboru’s uncommon transformation from a common employee to an employer of labour and billionaire within a short period as a result of good judgement, a quality Deltans expect from the next governor.

    In terms of academic credentials, Ogboru is a holder of two masters degrees in management sciences which are very relevant in the management of theeconomy than the medical credentials of Dr. Okowa, which can be put into use in other speres of service.

    Deltans will vote for a man whom they know to be selfless and can initiate a boom turning vision for the state. Great Ovedje Ogboru fits this bill based on his antecedent in building his vast buisness from the scratch. In him, Deltans will put their faith and trust and expect to reap bountifully from the wise decision.

    On the zoning scale, Dr Okowa appears to enjoy some support.There are many people from Anioma, Urhobo, Itsekiris, Ijaws and Isoko who have imbibed the philosophy of zoning and are prepared to cast their votes along the line of zoning.

    For this group of persons, good governance of the state is secondary, as long as their zoning sentiments are ingratiated with little handouts from the governor.

    Yet there are still some people who believe in zoning but who strongly  feel that there should be a balance between good governance and  adherence to zoning. As it stand, a higher percentage of those in this  sub-bracket will go for a candidate with vision that can impact their lives positively.

    No doubt, in this clear contest between Ogboru and Okowa, they will vote for Ogboru. They are applying the anxiom that a good neighbour is better than a bad brother, which is evidently correct.

    Strangely, there are also some good number of people who are religious believers of zoning but are scared of Okowa’s return as governor on account of certain hegemonistic tendencies displayed by Okowa that could jeopardise their traditional values and institutions. Such sentiments are coming from Okowa’s backyard in Ika nation and neighbouring kingdoms.

    Ogboru can wager on the votes of people with this mindset. They are even prepared to assist beyond casting votes to include spending money and much more to send Okowa packing.

    There are yet another group within the zoning fans, who believe that Ogboru deserves their votes as an Anioma son. These voters are mainly from Ndokwa nation who rightly feel that Ogboru being maternally from their enclave, deserve their votes  moreso for his outstanding   competence. They buttress this with the fact that it was Okowa and his kinsmen who voted for Chief  Ibru against Professor Eric Opia from Ndokwa in the first governorship election held after the creation of Delta State.

    In the Central where Ogboru is  from paternally, the predominant sentiment is that zoning is a conspiracy against the  people of Urhobo extraction. Their argument is that, whilst in Midwest and Bendel state , inspite of the unsuccessful shots they took at the governorship office, they never sought to compromise standard by calling for zoning.

    Voters in this mindset want to cast their votes for  Ogboru for reasons of competence and not ethnic affinity. This sentiment is also prevalent in Itsekiri nation  because of the unexpected support Urhobos once  gave to their kinsman, Chief Festus Okotie Eboh, in the height of the rivalry between itsekiri and Urhobo.Thus, their assessment of the  rivalry and suspicion between the two neighbours is no longer necessary as marriage ties has created too many bi-ethnic nationalities of these once distinct peoples whose sensibilities must be respected moving forward..

    Acccordingly, they reasoned that they stand to gain more from a competent neighbour than Okowa who is filled with vengeance against their son, Dr. Uduaghan. It is not different in Ijaw, Isoko , Oshimili and  Aniocha who accuse Okowa of nepotic tendencies. They would rather have a man with vision to pilot the affairs of the state than allow a failed Okowa continue with governance of the state.

    Inexorably, the evaluation of the sentiments for and against Okowa in the light of the sterling record of Ogboru in the private sector is tilting victory in the 2019 election in favour of Ogboru.

    Against the clarion call that public officers should be transparent with official activities, a  reaction to the repulsive revelations of corrupt practices of previous governments, Okowa has even  become more opaque with funds coming to the state coffer from internal sources of income . This lack of transparency, viewed seriously by Deltans will hurt Dr Okowa hard in the 2019 election.

    Ogboru promises to end this despicable conduct by injecting transparency as an integral tendency of his government come 2019.

    One way he will show this is regular briefing of Deltans on the status of our revenue earnings, an item in his mission statement. And it is a promise that is resonating with Deltans having regard to the incorruptibility posture of Ogboru in the past 18 years he assumed leading opposition to enthrone an accountable government.

    Ogboru is one of  the very few individuals in the entire country who successfully resisted the irrestible  tempting offers which many others fell for in Delta and beyond. Courage and determination,which are admirable virtues displayed by Ogboru all these years are now being characterised by opponents without selling points as desperation on the part of Ogboru.

    Of course, if it could be proven that Ogboru is seeking the office more for self than service, then such negative characterisation could stick.

    But the evidence available is that after the last election, Ogboru vowed not to be in the ballot again for the governorship of the state, but sustained pressure from associates  couple with compassion for Deltans held hostage by a class of insensitive “leader predators” caused a change of mind. This completely dispels the negative construct of desperation against Ogboru.

    Okowa and his collaborators who could not build enduring infrastructures or create jobs from economic activies taking advantage of our comparative competitiveness in the season of abundance should not be expected to manage drought to the relief of Deltans.

    A governor who could not create jobs for genuine job seekers, but his mindlessly appointing thousands of political appointees drawing stupendous amounts from our public coffer without providing a corresponding economic or social service is a damned jester.

    Another four years for Okowa is invitation for sorrow and irredeemable decay.