Okowa battles ethnic bickering on choice of deputy

The battle to pick the governorship ticket may have ended but the contentions and intrigues of who becomes the running mate on the ticket for the contending political parties are raging from Asaba to Abuja as the gladiators plot their strategies.
The leading contenders for the office presently occupied by Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan are Ifeanyi Okowa, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a medical doctor and senator representing Delta North Senatorial District’ O’tega Emehror, banker and a businessman, flying the flag of All Progressives Congress (APC), while Great Ogboru is the candidate of the Labour Party (LP).
As it stands today, Delta Central is presenting two candidates in the persons of Emehror and Ogboru, to demonstrate its resolve to grab the governorship seat regardless of the statewide demand for equity, fairness and justice, by the other ethnic nationalities in the state.
O’Tega Emerhror
The first major challenge for Great Ogboru and O’ Tega Emerhror is how to convince the other ethnic nationalities that have been declared inconsequential by the Urhobo Progress Union which is favourably disposed to endorsing the candidate of APC.
Emerhror seems to be the bride of the vocal Urhoboo Progressive Union (UPU) which is insisting that power must return to Delta Central. The UPU had earlier endorsed David Edevbie of the PDP during the December 8, 2014 gubernatorial primaries of the party.Great Ogboru
Great Ogboru has always projected himself as a detribalised person with special relations with Anioma people. His mother hails from Ndokwa land but the baggage often dumped on him by ethnic bigots in the state works in his disadvantage. He is running on the platform of the Labour Party which is not firm on ground in the state, but Ogboru had turned round Democratic People’s Party, working closely with Ned Nwoko in 2011. It is doubtful if he will re-enact the massive support he enjoyed in Delta North this time around with the exit of his henchmen in DPP. Another major obstacle for Ogboru is the emergence of APC which has become the preferred party of Delta Central.
Deltans are yet to know the programmes of the Labour Party and the image if the party is built around Ogboru. He has lost considerable grounds in terms of appeal and a pan-Delta support base. The Labour Party is relatively new in Delta North political terrain.
Ogboru contested with Okenmou Fidelis Tilije from Obiaaruku in 2011. He may go back to Ndokwa land again to pick a running mate this time around.
Okowa’s dilemma
Okowa’s strength in the PDP primary elections shows that he has a statewide grassroots support. He draws strength from Isoko leaders, namely Ross Uredi, Emmanuel Ogidi, Mallam Obi. The same is the case in Delta Central with the likes of Monday Igbuya, Ighoyota Amori, Sam Oyovbaire, former minister of Information, Evelyn Oboro, Erhiata Ibori, Olori Magege, among others who disregarded the directives of UPU to vote deputyfor Davide Edevbie as the preferred candidate of the UPU.
The balance of power
Delta South seems to hold the balance of power in the unfolding democratic reality. The zone is favoured to produce a deputy governor in acknowledgement of the role delegates from the area played in Okowa’s victory on December 8, 2014.
In this stead, the battle is drawn between the Ijaws and the Isokos. Patrick Sinebe, an Ijaw, has been mentioned. The Ijaws are claiming that they were more forth-coming in their support for Okowa’s candidacy and would want to be rewarded with the office of the deputy governor.
The snag however, is that James Manager, has already taken the ticket to return to the Senate. Manager took over from an Isoko lady, Stella Omu in 2003.
Gab Awodeha said: “Being given the deputy governor position and the Senate seat to the Ijaws alone do not support the case for equity and fairness because the Isokos are the largest single ethnic nationality in Delta south and they were equally strong advocates of the Delta North governorship bid”.
Paul Omu, in a statement issued last Thursday, said the Isokos had not been fairly treated in the distribution of political offices in Delta State.
The retired general stated categorically that the Isoko nation is demanding for the office of the deputy governor as a matter of equity and fairness”.
Resolving this issue requires a delicate balancing act as the candidates of the other major parties are also making overtures to the Isokos to pick the deputy governor’s spot in their parties.
Isoko South seems to have become a fertile hunting ground for APC. Okowa must win handsomely in Delta South to stand any chance of the gang up by UPU irredentists who are opposed to power shift to Delta North.
There is also a persuasive argument from Delta Central that they deserve a handsome reward in the distribution of positions in the PDP on the basis of equity and fairness.
The zone produced Amos Utuama as the deputy to Uduaghan. Delta Central is not interested in another four years on the same office.
Watchers of the unfolding horse-trading going on in Asaba and Abuja believe that Delta Central should produce the next speaker in the State House of Assembly, while Ndokwa nation could expect the office of the SSG.
Ikay Molokwu, a barrister, said: “The first challenge before Senator Okowa is the choice of his running mate, which is not going to be an easy task”.
According to him, “this is not going to be an easy task as each section of the state wants to be relevant in the new political dispensation.”
He said: “Okowa faces the challenge of building a pan-Delta Agenda to consolidate on the good will that gave him victory on December 8, 2014.”
Philip Ibonye said the first thing is to appreciate the contributions of all the ethnic nationalities that delivered the ticket and thank them.
But the battle is far from over, according to Ibonye, the Ijaws should recognise that every segment of the state should be carried along to avoid creating ill-feelings for the Team Okowa as it settles down for the task of state wide campaign.
The Okowa campaign team has been put together with all the former aspirants being given a chance to work together to win the February 21, 2014 gubernatorial election.
Dan Okenyi, secretary general, Anioma Congress, said: “The composition of the campaign with all the former aspirants being brought on board is a good thing.
According to Okenyi, “this will give Okowa the opportunity to tap into the wisdom and vision of the aspirants who were equally capable in their own right”.