2023: How Okowa’s Choice Hurts PDP Foundational Members In Delta

It appears a winner has emerged from the supremacy battle between Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former governor, Chief James Ibori, over who is more influential in the state’s political affairs.

Like a conqueror, who inflicts a humiliating defeat on his victims, Okowa moved against big names, power brokers Politicians who sees power as their only means of sustanance, evening his former boss,  Chief James Ibori was not spared.

Ibori’s choice, David Edevbie, lost the primary election to Sheriff Oborevwori, with suspecious margin of 590 to 113 votes from 825 accredited delegates. 

As if Delta State is playing an injurious politics of payback, Ahead of 2007 general elections, Ibori, then governor, from Delta Central senatorial district, singlehandedly picked his cousin, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, from Delta South, as his successor, against all odds and despite voiced and muted protests from stakeholders, he had his way.

When Uduaghan’s second term was ending in 2014, he chose the then permanent secretary, Government House, the late Tony Obuh, to succeed him, Okowa snatch that ticket from Uduaghan’s pick, Edevbie after Obuh was dumped.

The battle-line that climaxed in the victory of Sheriff Oborevwori was an outcome of a battle line drawn long ago.

Okowa did not forget the 2014 episode, and it must have been too late for Edevbie to erase that memory.

The closest inkling of what played out was the House of Assembly election where Uduaghan’s daughter, Orode, lost in her bid for Warri North Constituency in the State House of Assembly. 

Indeed Okowa concealed his intentions with an aura of unpredictability even using the name of God. Months back, there were rumours that the governor may have anointed the Speaker, but this was continuously denied by government officials. 

The governor himself consistently dismissed it, promising a level-playing field for all aspirants. But gradually, political office holders were moving with Oborevwori’s consultations train constantly.

Ibori’s daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, was only lucky a second time in her quest for Ethiope Federal Constituency, defeating Ben Igbakpa by 46 to 22 votes in a run-off, following a deadlock in the first exercise on Sunday, May 22.
 
Unlike the duo, the governor’s daughter, Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, was returned unopposed for the Ika North-East State Constituency.
 
In the senatorial race, Okowa’s camp won in Delta North (Prince Ned Nwoko) and Delta South (Michael Diden, aka Ejele), but lost in Delta Central, where Ibori’s Chief Ighoyota Amori secured the ticket in his quest to return to the Senate, beating Chief John Nani and others.

A day before the emergence of the party’s candidate, one of the frontline aspirants, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, while withdrawing from the race, accused Okowa of threatening his life, bribing delegates and having a predetermined outcome for the exercise.

Following the outcome, there has been no word from Ibori or any hint of reconciliation from the parties involved, leaving observers wondering what their next moves might be.

MEANWHILE, Oborevwori has been dragged to court over alleged discrepancy in his certificates submitted to INEC. The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Asaba by Ojei Victor Obianuju, Maize and Associates Farmers, has the Speaker, PDP and INEC as defendants.
 
In the Affidavit, the plaintiffs stated that the 1st defendant allegedly wrote his Primary Six examination in 1977 with the name Oborevwori O. Francis, while he wrote his West African Senior School Certificate examination in June 1999 with the name Oborevwori O. Francis.
 
They also alleged that he obtained his degree from Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma in Edo State on July, 14, 2004 with the name Oborevwori Sheriff Francis; certificate of exemption from National Youth Service Corp on March 10, 2005 with name Oborevwori Sheriff and a Masters degree in Political Science from Delta State University, Abraka, with the name Oborevwori Francis Sheriff Orehwedor on September 24, 2010.
 
The plaintiffs alleged that on February 1982, one Benson Ogbolo deposed to an affidavit, stating that the PDP candidate was his cousin and had the name as Francis Oborguwori.

Shortly after the governorship primary, most political office holders and party officials relocated to Abuja for the presidential primary held late into last Saturday.

It appears some of the aggrieved members and aspirants have gone back to the drawing board to re-strategise ahead of next year’s election.

Credit: The guardian