Delta 2015: Who Wears The Cap Of Governorship?

[nReporter]

As 2015 approaches, many Deltans are gradually jostling for the office of the governorship either in surreptitious or perceive. Delta State is divided into three senatorial districts; Delta south, Delta north and Delta central. Delta south and Delta central have assumed the number one citizen of Delta State since 1999 which expires in 2015. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is one of the sought after political parties that has large followers of Deltans than other political party in the state.PDP operates vividly the system of zoning arrangement to make every Deltan has a fair play of political power. Delta State comprises Isoko, Urhobo, Ijaw, Ukwuani, Anioma and Itsekeri.It has 25 local governments and one of the Niger Delta and South South States that produces oil and gas and largely contributed to the economic growth of the country.

Most of the so-called contending aspirants for 2015 governorship election are mere nose makers with no political foundation to win election. To some extent, Dr Uduaghan Emmanuel, the governor of Delta State has greatly contributed to the developmental progress of the State since his assumption in office. His three core agenda human capital development, peace and security and infrastructural development have gone a long way to fix some of the problems associated with the state. Though some school of thought assumed that Uduaghan's administration has not consolidated on his promises on the electorates than corruption. Delta State population according to recent statistics indicated that the State is over 8 million people. Delta North which is the Anioma or Delta Igbo is the second largest ethnic group in Delta State while Urhobo people are the largest while Isoko is the third followed by Itsekeri and Ijaw. Ukwuani is only having three local governments. Delta State still claiming to be one but has sentimental drive of some ethnic groups that want to retain the state leadership at all costs without respecting the zoning mechanism of the party. Although, there are other opposition political parties that are presently challenging the PDP like Democratic People's Party (DPP) who singlehandedly won some seats of power in 2011 general elections in the state while Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Labour Party (LP) and others still dreaming to capture power from the PDP in 2015.Though if political segregation or zoning arrangement is removed out of Delta politics, then the rightful candidate would be eventually elected without qualms.

In the middle of last year when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Czar Prof. Attahiru Jega clamped down on over 42 political parties in Nigeria that cannot win elections into any of the electoral offices but dubiously collecting the monthly INEC money to sustain their various political parties. INEC also alleged that some of these political parties were operating on fake offices that never existed. The fact that Delta State governorship is zoned to Delta North while Deputy governor and Delta State House of Assembly speaker are zoned to Delta south and Delta central for equation of the state power to avoid conflict of interest in the political system. Many assumed that if power is zoned to Delta North, automatically, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the present member of Senate, former Commissioner for Health and Secretary to the Delta State Government respectively in Delta State could emerge as the governor while the former Commissioner for Energy and present Delta State SSG, Comrade Macaulay Ovuzourie can emerge as Deputy governor if the political calculation is fixed. Delta State politics in 2015 shows that Delta south or Delta central cannot produce the governor of the state. One of the reasons Delta North, the Anioma precisely agitating for their own state creation is as a result of gross marginalization over the years while Isoko, Itsekeri and Ijaw were not left out in agitating for Coast state some years back which was traced to marginalization of power in the state. Isoko nation is totally marginalized over the years by power that be in the state.

Again, 2015 is just a number but many people know that Uduaghan would hand over power to those that needed it as their political right. Some of these professed and ostensible aspirants jostling for 2015 governorship have not politically or economically impacted their immediate environment which I described most of these aspirants to be candidates as newspapers' campaigners without legitimate manifestoes to persuade the people of the state.Prof Pat. Utomi, two -time presidential candidate under the platforms of African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) and presently defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to run for 2015 Delta State governorship which indicates that he is not stable with his political career and Nigerian politics. He is intended to toe the same line of the present Imo State governor Chief Rochas Okorocha who primarily run for presidency and later contested for governorship of his state but he has positively impacted Nigerians and his own state in all ramifications. Prof Pat. Utomi must think well before contesting for Delta State governorship in 2015, even though he is from the Delta North. The likes of Dr Okonjo Iweala, Tony Elumelu, Peter Okocha, Rt. Hon. Victor Ochie, present Delta State House Speaker, Ndudi Elumelu are all from the Delta North and eligible to contest for the Delta state governorship with no misgivings in 2015. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is a man who is competent to handle the political structure of the state without qualms due to his political experience in the system.

Even the DPP should not be swept under the political carpet just like that because Chief Great Ogboru might use another political strategy to wrestle power from the PDP if the need arises. The strong opposition parties in the state are LP, DPP. CPC and ACN. Some of the present crop of politicians serving under Uduaghan's administration should start preparing for the 2015 election because the era of godfather politics is over in the state. The likes of Prof. Saliba Umukoro and Chief John Kpokpogri might likely contest if Chief Edwin Clark anoints them for the position though Uduaghan has settled the political brawl that almost turned the party apart in 2011.The office of Delta State governor is a very competitive position that needed egghead person to emerge. One so-called politician that contested for the 2011 governorship in the state was given a political appointment and his ambition could not see the light of the day while many saw him as traitor in Delta politics. Though other unknown governorship aspirants are still planning to contest against the anointed candidate of the PDP in 2015.Hon. Obaro Unuafe once contested in one of the newly ousted political parties but failed to secure the seat of power. Even as some people in the State are dragging Uduaghan to court over his purported inauguration Caretaker committee which is unconstitutional and illegal, yet the leadership of the state still wants to elect the best hand in government.

Finally, some of these contending aspirants are yet to impact their communities let alone state leadership. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is one of the egghead governor s that Delta state has ever produced since 1999 and nothing else. Dr. Uduaghan must hand over power to the best hand while some school of thought suggest that those that have assume as SSG of the state are best custodians of Delta state leadership.

By Godday Odidi,
Public Affairs Analyst, Lagos.

[nReporter]