Delta 2015: Race to succeed Uduaghan hots up

The amnesia that characterised the political firmament of Delta State as far as the 2015 governorship elec­tion is concerned, recently turned into a sort of buzz following the speculated en­dorsement of Mr. Tony Obuh as the likely candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obuh who is hails from Ika axis of Delta north (Anioma nation), at present, is the Permanent Secretary, Govern­ment House and Protocol, Asaba, and his purported endorsement is said to have received the blessings of the vari­ous power blocs in the state, as well as at the federal level.
Before now, matters of who succeeds the incumbent Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Udu­aghan are discussed in subdued tones, with the fear of heating up the political space partly responsible for the obvious apoliti­cal approach.
A deluge of aspirants, most especially from the north senatorial district where the governorship ticket is believed to be zoned to based on the contentious zoning under­standing of the PDP, have before now, been engaging in wide spread consultations.
Such names as Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr. Godswill Obielum, Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, Prof. Syl­vester Monye, Mr. Clement Ofuani, Dr. Festus Okubor among others, but with Obuh missing, have been maintaining the front burner in public discourse.
The list is by no means exhaustive if as­pirants from the central and south senato­rial districts are considered. David Edev­bie and Ovie Omo-Agege are featuring prominently on the PDP’s platform from the central which also boast of the likes of Great Ogboru of Labour Party and Festus Kayemo and O’tega Emerhor both of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
But the number of aspirants from Anio­ma nation keeps swelling by the day, osten­sibly for the simple reason or calculation that the pendulum of power would shift northwards as opposed to the central and south. As a matter of fact, Delta north has occupied the exalted office since the state was created in 1991.
Hence, in a deft move to whittle down the list, there have been meetings and dis­cussions at the very high levels to prevail on some of the perceived dark horses to step down their aspiration and harmonise, so that the opportunity for Delta north to produce the governor will not slip away.
Sunday Sun learnt that it was one of such moves that cost Victor Ochei his position as the Speaker of the House in March, this year. He was said to have refused the re­quest to step down his governorship ambi­tion, but with the prospect of impeachment staring at him, he smartly resigned.
Within the same period, it was gath­ered, Senator Okowa who had a very good showing during the PDP primaries in 2006 against Uduaghan, was also prevailed upon to forget his governorship ambition and go back to the senate for consolidation. Okowa was said to have promised to make consultations before taking a decision.
That might have accounted for the lull that characterised both the camps of Okowa and Ochei since March this year. But it appears both gladiators have re-oiled their political machineries and are back on the turf with the governorship as the ulti­mate prize.
Bill-boards of Okowa and Ochei have suddenly re-appeared in strategic loca­tions across the state, indicating that they have bounced back into the race. Howev­er, while the message on the bill-board is unambiguous, Sunday Sun observed that both politicians have smartly not indicated any political party.
Thus, it is an indication that Obuh’s pur­ported endorsement by the powers that be would upset the apple cat in the political scheme of things, with the possibility of some of the frontline contenders including Ochei, Okowa among others seeking an alternative platform to actualise the guber­natorial ambition.
“Okowa has built a formidable political structure across the 25 council areas of the state based on his showing in 2006. Many people are very confident that he is the next governor, hence if one party denies him the ticket, he still has the chance of becoming governor on the platform of another party,” a political analyst predicted.
According to the analyst, “Ochei made a tremendous in-road during his consulta­tions while as Speaker of the House. Now that he has bounced back, it is hoped that effort would be made to oil his political machine to sustain the progress he had made.”
Obuh’s endorsement is said to be a long standing understanding amongst the trio of former governor James Ibori, Dr. Udu­aghan and Obuh, but the beans was recent­ly spilled at the residence of the civil ser­vice technocrat in Agbor where Uduaghan paid him a visit.
According to inside sources, family members who were privy to the agree­ment became worried that the governor was yet to make a pronouncement, secret­ly expressing concerns that the agreement might not be implemented altogether.
His visit to the Obuhs afforded such family members the opportunity to im­press it on him to make his pronounce­ment before the situation is hijacked. However, Uduaghan continued to main­tain a studied silence.
But shortly after the visit, a group, Delta United for Tony Obuh (DUTO) spear­headed by Uduaghan’s kinsman, Ayiri Emami and Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Monday Igbuya emerged and openly adopted Obuh in Warri as the candidate of the PDP.
Although, a similar adoption was re­portedly done at the Asaba home of Ig­buya, Obuh’s posters which are said to have flooded Warri already were yet to be seen in the streets of Asaba as at the time of this report.
Despite Obuh’s denial of the specula­tion linking him with the governorship election on the ground that as a civil ser­vant, he cannot dabble into the murky wa­ters of politics without first resigning, the rumour appears to be gaining ground with the potentials of creating factions within the PDP fold.
It was gathered that with Obuh as gov­ernorship candidate of the PDP, plans have to perfected to get a seasoned poli­tician from Delta south as running mate. Names of the Secretary to the State Gov­ernment, Ovuozourie Macaulay and the Commissioner for Works, Funkekeme Solomon are being bandied in some quar­ters as possible running mate.
It was also gathered that to deal with the anticipated friction that the adoption of Obuh might cause within the ranks of the PDP, a plan ‘B’ has already been hatched.
One of such plans is that should the frontline aspirants like Okowa and/or Ochei decide to stay put in the party and contest the primaries against Obuh, the state Deputy Governor, Amos Utuama will be used as a joker.
The plan, according to an informed source, is to have Utuama who is from the central senatorial district pick the nomi­nation of the PDP along with the likes of Okowa, and/or Ochei, with the ultimate aim of neutralising the strength of any as­pirant against Obuh.
Meanwhile, there are still some doubt­ing Thomases who have rubbished the rumoured endorsement of the civil service guru, on the ground that he is unknown to the different political power blocs in the state.
This group believes that the long list of governorship aspirants from Delta north has been pruned down to three names, which does not include Obuh, and that the three names have been submitted to the presidency for consideration.
“Three names, as we speak, are before President Jonathan and the national lead­ership of the PDP for consideration. It is among these three that a governorship candidate will emerge, and not this rumour about a certain Permanent Secretary,” a source said.
The source claimed that most of the frontline contenders were screened out when the list was being considered among power brokers in the state due to what was described as “unfavourable security re­ports concerning the big names.”
While it may be easy for some politi­cal observers to dismiss the rumoured en­dorsement of the hardcore civil servant and bureaucrat, as the PDP governorship candidate on the ground that similar ru­moured endorsements have been heard in the recent past, it is expedient to consider the long standing relationship between Dr. Uduaghan and Obuh.
Obuh earned his reputation as a careful civil servant, whose loyalty to his boss of so many years, first as director in the office of the Secretary to the State Government when Uduaghan held that position during the tenure of former Governor James Ibori, and then as Permanent Secretary when he became governor.
“They had bonded over time and had remained inseparable right from the office of the SSG and presently in Government House, Asaba. Obuh, on his part is a cal­culative, diplomatic, cool and calm public servant and I think that has endeared him to his boss, the governor over the years,” an elated source in Government House stated.