I have been following political developments in Delta State and I can tell that the latest trend of money politics has made it impossible to elect credible candidates.
According to a philosopher, Joseph de Maistre, “the people get the type of leaders they deserve in a democracy”.
In this age of instant gratification, short attention span and working memory, politicians no longer find it profitable to invest their time and funds in public engagement, which has been an age-long tradition.
Rather, they keep their funds till election day and spend it on vote buying, a phenomenon that is almost consuming us just to pave way for themselves whether they are qualified with true origin or not.
Between 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, govern Delta State. Chief Ibori, however was not a complete Urhobo man. His mother is of Itsekiri extraction, in Delta south senatorial district while the father, is from Oghara, Delta Central senatorial district.
Also, his cousin brother, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, who succeeded him between 2007 to 2015, was never an Urhobo man but was raised in Oghara. Uduaghan’s father is from Itsekiri of Delta South Senatorial District while his mother is from Edo State.
As the race towards 2023 gathers momentum, Deltans should ask questions about the paternity and maternity of some of the aspirants who act dubiously just to find their way into the seat of power,who claim where they did not originate from.
The likes of David Edevbie, Sheriff Oborevwori, Kenneth Okpara, Abel Esievo, Ejaife Odebala, James Augoye, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Fred Majemite, Efe Ofobruku, Bright Edejegwhro, Festus Ovie Agas, Akpo Ofomona and Peter Mrakpor, should be thoroughly investigated so as to avoid the mistakes of the past.
Apart from the Senatorial zoning, which gives Delta Central senatorial district, the opportunity to produce the next governor, it is the turn of the Urhobo ethnic nationality and a full blooded Urhobo man should be allowed to sit on the governorship throne.
A man whose father and mother are from Urhobo ethnic group. At this time, Urhobo must get it right to avoid divided attention, thereby bringing the dividends of democracy to the Urhobo land in order for it to be more visible than ever.
