Delta Central 2023 by extension, Urhobo 2023 governorship lobbying group popularly know as DC-23, has set up a 13-man Committee to screen all 14 Urhobo governorship aspirants to prune them down to five in her first screening exercise.
The 13-man Screening Committee headed by Prof. Tonukari as Chairman and Prof. Awhefeada as Secretary respectively, has six weeks to submit their recommendations before the Committee of the whole.
According to official press release by DC-23, certain terms of references has been given to the Committee for the screening and others the Committee may deem necessary.
Before and after the constitution of the Committee, the screening exercise has generated issues and discuss in the political domain.
Join me as will look into the matters arising on the screening exercise together.
FEASIBILITY OF THE EXERCISE
Pruning down Urhobo aspirants from the current 14 to five may likely be achievable but going below five and arriving at a consensus one as an aspirant is practically impossible.
Some key factors would likely make the DC-2023 screening exercise be an attempt in futility.
1. PERSONALITIES OF THE ASPIRANTS
Let us use Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, as a case study, who in DC-23 would have the guts to screen Gbagi out of the race?
Who among DC-23 is big or qualified enough to advised Gbagi, to withdraw from the race to allow someone like Chief James Augoye, Rt. Hon. Sheriff or Olorogun David Edevbie, to run whom by his descriptions and statement in some public quarters are like ants standing before an elephant?
Kenneth Gbagi, believes it is time for him to govern the state and if anybody must step down, it must be others not him. So if there must be one sole aspirant according to DC-23, it must be Gbagi from his own perspective else the Urhobo lobby group must be playing to the gallery and I believe similar views might be expressed by other aspirants from different angles who think they have the well withal to clinch the PDP governorship ticket.
2. THE INTEGRITY OF THE LOBBY GROUP
The arrow head of the DC-23 lobbying group Chief Ighoyota Amori, is undergoing serious integrity trial at the moment. In the last weeks, dozens of petitions and publications questioning
the suitability of Senator Amori, to drive the group activities to the overall interest of Urhobos and Deltans at large has surfaced on several social media platforms.
One of those numerous petitions recently accused Amori, of conniving with some political big shots in other parts of Delta to endorsed a particular aspirant from OSU federal constituency.
Another petition expressed worries over Amori, continuous and alleged anti party activities particularly his political romance with the Delta opposition leader and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, whom many believed he (Amori) played a key role to see to his return to the senate against his party candidate Barr. Evelyn Oboro.
The publication further stressed that there was a political agreement between Amori and Agege for a job well done against his party in 2019, and such Amori, cannot be trusted by the PDP in Delta Central.
Many believed Amori, is playing the game of 2019 PDP betrayal to see to the success of Agege governorship ambition and his senatorial ambition in return.
Another publication asserted that Amori, is using DC-23 to push his political ambition of going to the senate. With the rumours that Barr Evelyn Oboro will be locking horns with him for the second time on who fly the PDP Delta Central senatorial flag, Amori, has switched interest from Edevbie, the purported Chief James Ibori anointed aspirant to an aspirant from Okpe Local government.
Part of his plan is to ensure a particular aspirant of interest from OSU federal emerged as governorship candidate for the micro zoning to favour his senatorial bid since a micro zoning will not allow both the governorship candidate and the senatorial candidate to come from one federal constituency.
The summary is there is so much distrust and fear of sabotage expressed around Senator Ighoyota Amori and this will go along way to affect the credibility of the actions of his DC 23 led group.
3. OKOWA’S FACTOR
Saying that Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa is the captain of the 2023 succession ship in Delta would amount to stating the obvious. Nobody has a stake on the succession plan more than Okowa. He is the one being succeeded and like the popular saying “success without a successor is a failure”, Okowa would not want to fail to produce his successor.
Any political decision taken today in Delta must reflect the interest of the governor and be given a top priority otherwise, it will most likely not see the light of the day.
The State political power grip, resources and the party structure to persecute the process are in firm control of the governor and that can only be undermined by any group at their own peril.
Like in Edo, Akwa-Ibom, Benue and Kano, any political godfather that undermine the incumbent power of Okowa will be retired politically. Okowa is a governor preceded by two democratic governors.
He saw the one that was able to produce his successor and what he is enjoying and the other that failed to produce his successor and where he is politically today. Okowa will not take chances with anybody in this succession quest.
He will crush anybody that will stand his way to produce a successor and the glory will all be his.
Source: Daniel Atarhe, from Ughelli
