Who will the people of Delta State vote for on Saturday? OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE examines the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates and the issues that will shape the election.
The stage is set for the governorship election in Delta State. The contest is among the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP).
The APC has O’tega Emerhor as its governorship flag-bearer. Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is the PDP flag bearer and Great Ogboru is the candidate of the LP.
Zoning, the ethnicity, the strength of political parties and popularity of candidates, rather than governance, have dominated political discourse. But, events during the PDP primaries suggest that Deltans may have transcended such mundane biases in choosing their leaders as shown by Okowa’s victory over other aspirant from the supposedly dominant ethnic groups.
The clamour for power shift among the Igbo- speaking population in Delta North District and the resolve by the Urhobo in Delta Central senatorial District to wrest power has created conflict between the ethnic groups.
The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU), the apex Urhobo socio-cultural group has openly canvassed for a governor of Urhobo extraction while the Anioma Congress made up of Delta North traditional rulers led by the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Obi Chike Edozien, with the support of Anioma political leaders, have backed an Anioma son or daughter to become governor. With neither side willing to back down, the stage appears set for a titanic battle.
The battle resonated at the last PDP primaries when on the eve of the primaries the UPU urged delegates to vote for David Edebvie, an Urhobo man.
Deputy Governor Agbe Utuama, an Urhobo, in a statement, said he withdrew from the race on account of the UPU directive, but, Okowa scored a resounding victory over the UPU candidate at the primaries, polling 406 votes to Edebvie’s 299.
Okowa is from Delta North senatorial District, Emerhor is Urhobo from Delta Central senatorial District. Ogboru is also an Urhobo man from Delta Central.
The battle is a straight fight among the APC, PDP and the LP. The question is whether there will be an upset at the polls or whether the PDP will maintain its stranglehold on power?
Emerhor, who hails from Evwereni community, Ughelli North is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a banker, an Insurance guru and a tested turnaround expert. He is a major player in the nation’s financial sub-sector.
The entry of the APC into the political landscape has changed political calculations in the state. The APC has seen its fortunes grow geometrically with the emergence of Emerhor as its flag-bearer.
Emerhor’s chances received a further boost when the All Progressive Congress won the presidential election. The Urhobos, not wishing to remain in opposition party, may mobilise support for the APC candidate.
Emerhor, who contested the Delta Central Senatorial District by-elections in 2013, may be the preferred choice of the Urhobos as they have been shopping for a viable candidate, following the loss of their candidate at the PDP primary elections.
The APC candidate may benefit from the famous Uvwiamuge Declaration of March 28, 2014, which stated that should the PDP fail to give the party’s governorship ticket to an Urhobo candidate, the Urhobo nation will move en-masse to a political party with national spread.
Another factor in Emerhor’s favour may be the need by his kinsmen to promote a new face with fresh ideology in the battle for Delta’s top position.
The Urhobo desirous of reclaiming the governorship after the tenure of James Ibori may settle for Emerhor. Emerhor is a philanthropist, who has donated to Urhobo causes and has quietly built a reputation amongst his kinsmen. He has actively participated in grassroots politics over the years. He was the second highest donor when the UPU was building its secretariat.
Emerhor had the assumed structures of the late Senator Akpo Ewerhido following the demise of the Urhobo politician and this may stand him in good stead in the election.
He is the chairman of the UPU Special Fund Management Board instituted to raise funds for the development of the Urhobo nation.
Emerhor may face an uphill task in his bid for votes in Delta North senatorial district, especially as the Anioma people may choose Okowa over him or Ogboru.
But, the APC candidate has picked his running mate, ex-CBN Director Vander-Puye Abanum, who hails from the Ndokwa ethnic group with three local government areas, including Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwuani.
This may help APC get votes from Delta North senatorial district a perceived stronghold of the PDP, as the Ndokwa ethnic group have often complained loudly of marginalization politically despite their contributions to the economic wellbeing of the State.
Delta North, populated by the Ibo-speaking group with nine local government areas, remains the only major ethnic group not to have produced governor.
Analysts believe Emerhor lacks the capability to translate his prowess in boardroom politics to the political terrain, even though he has mounted an effective campaign in the run-up to the governorship election
Another snag to his ambition is that Emerhor will have to contend with Ogboru for Urhobo votes as they are both of the Urhobo ethnic stock. Analysts believe this may not augur well for both candidates.
A prominent Urhobo leader, who preferred anonymity, said: “I worry for the two Urhobo sons contesting in the Delta governorship election. Unless one steps down for the other, our chances may go up in smoke and we remain in political wilderness .It is painful when you consider that we are superior numerically”.
Ogboru is an astute politician and multi-millionaire business man. He hails from Abraka,Ethiope East, with maternal roots in Ukwuani community in Delta North.
Ogboru has always contested elections since 2003. In 2011, his party the Democratic People Party (DPP), put up an astonishing performance to win an unheard-of eight seats in the House of Assembly and a seat each in the House of Representatives and seat. Can the People’s General muster the finances to fight for the number one job in Delta State? Ogboru is a crowd puller and a factor in Delta politics. But, can Ogboru still count on Urhobo support, especially with the emergence of Emerhor?
Ogboru is a determined and consistent politician. He has wide appeal across the three senatorial district and has experience, having contested elections in the past.
Analysts are of the opinion that Ogboru’s of running-mate from the Isoko nation, Elder Peter Erebi, the ex-President General Isoko Progessive Union (IPU) may work against his ambition as numerically the Isokos constitute a small political unit in only two local government areas, Isoko, South and North.
But, Erebi has the support of his Olomoro clan, who have promised to work for the L.P candidate.
The chairman of Olomoro Community Development Union (OCD) described Erebi as a selfless and trustworthy man. He said: “We are happy for this great opportunity of the choice of our son, Peter Erebi as Deputy-Governor in the April11 election we will vote for the L.P candidate’.
“When Erebi was President General, he used his hard earned money to run the union without levying any clan throughout his tenure, so there is no going back on the choice of Ogboru and Erebi. It is a battle already fought and won.”
Okowa is a popular grassroots politician from Owa-Aliero community in Ika North-East. He contested the 2007 governorship election against Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and put up a strong showing that rattled the PDP hierarchy.
A consummate politician, Okowa has established political structures in the three senatorial districts, clinching the PDP ticket.
He represents Delta North in the National Assembly where he is Chairman, Senate Committee on Health. His intellectual capacity is also one thing that stands him in good stead for the job. Within three years as a senator, he sponsored 12 bills, including the National Health Bill, which was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Okowa was the Secretary, Ika Local Government, and first Executive Chairman, Ika North East Local Government. He was Commissioner of Water Resources, Agriculture and Health in the Ibori administration. He also served as Secretary to the Delta State Government during the first tenure of Dr Uduaghan
Analysts see his choice of running mate in Kingsley Utuaro from the Ijaw ethnic group in the Delta South Senatorial District as a strategic move. The Ijaw is the major ethnic group in Bomadi, Burutu, Patani and, at least, half of Warri South West. The Ijaws are expected to rally round him now that President Jonathan is returning to Otuoke after May 29. It is believed that, if he can carve out some votes from the Isoko nation and parts of Delta Central, he will win in Delta North.
However, Okowa has been trailed by the allegation that he sold out his candidacy for Governor Uduaghan to emerge at the 2007 PDP governorship primaries in Ogwashi-Uku. While this allegation lacks authenticity, his enemies have always tried to use it against him in Delta North. With pressures from the UPU on Ogboru to step down for Emerhor, a possible gang up between the Urhobo and the Isoko is also a major threat to his aspiration. But, Okowa is a dogged politician, who has fought many political battles. Whether he will come out unscathed in this remains to be seen.
It is clear that none of the candidates can win by the support of a major ethnic group, not even the Urhobos who claim to be in the majority. The successful candidate must have a simple majority of the votes cast plus 25 per cent in two thirds of the 25 local governments in the state. Out of the 25 local governments, Delta South and Central have eight each while Delta North has nine. Out of the 2million registered voters in Delta state, Delta Central has 38 per cent, Delta South 34 per cent and Delta North 32 per cent. It promises to be a titanic battle.
