…Deny Knowledge Of Treaty Okowa Entered With Ijaw
Finally, foremost Ijaw leader and former minister of Information, Pa Edwin Clark, has thrown his weight behind leading governorship aspirant in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, for Delta Central Senatorial District to produce the successor of the incumbent governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, come 2023.
The Ijaw Elder statesman made his position known in a publication credited to him by Vanguard Newspapers dated February 15th 2022.
Olorogun Gbagi, who is the most prominent 2023 governorship aspirant in the state, had stated that it would be ungodly and politically inaccurate for Delta South Senatorial District that vacated the seat less than 8 years ago to aspire for the seat in 2023
Gbagi who made this known during a ceremony to appreciate members of his campaign organisation, hosted by the Gbagi Solidarity Movement, said he was one of the foremost PDP members in the State vying for the governorship seat.
He noted that he never showed interest in contesting the governorship in 1999, but that he was the major sponsor of Prof. Sam Oyovbaire for Governor in 1999 until he withdrew from the race at the residence of the Late Chief David Dafenone in Apapa, Lagos State and directed him to run in his place
According to him, “so I decided then that when the circle completes, and it comes to Delta Central, I will run and become the Governor. If you look at the calendar by the time Governor Ifeanyi Okowa finishes, Delta Central would have waited for 16 years.”
“The way it was designed, every senatorial district will wait for 16 years. I want us to understand it because it looks as if some of us are groping in the dark; some of us talking politics; some of us were not a party to know how it was enacted; some of us do not know where we started from; some of us were not part of those that brought PDP to Delta State, but I pride myself to be one of those aspirants and members of PDP who decided that the governorship should be rotated from one senatorial district to the other. One must wait for 16 years for the others to take their turn,” he explained.
“Delta Central has waited for 16 years; we can not change the game plan in the middle of the game. I plead that the peace and development we have enjoyed as a people should continue. Delta South Senatorial District that just finished their turn in less than 8 years ago cannot claim that a senatorial district that has waited for 16 years should not be allowed to take its own turn. That will be ungodly and politically inaccurate. I plead that we should understand ourselves and work together in unity for the good, greatness and development of Delta State,” he added.
In another development, the Industrialist told the PDP LGA chairman, Prince Opuofeni, Ward chairmen and other delegates in Bomadi that it was Delta Central turn to govern the State.
“When Delta Central finished their eight years, it went to Delta south, when they finished, it went to Delta North, they are finishing their seventh year now. So, they have about a year and four months to go.
“By that arrangement, Delta Central has waited for 16 years at the end of this government. So, it has become a 16 years wait period of incubation. It is not tribe/tribal governorship arrangement in Delta State, it is senatorial and by that arrangement by the grace of God, it has gone round and it is going to come back to Central. Anybody who comes to tell you that he can truncate or change it, will just be moving us to acrimony”, he warned.
Meanwhile, Clark, had denied any knowledge of an accord Okowa, entered with his kinsmen to bequeath power to the the Ijaw ethnic nationality come 2023, stressing that he is unaware of any treaty by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to hand over power to Ijaw ethnic nationality in Delta South senatorial district in 2023.
While saying that such accord was not known to him, but explained the arrangement to make Kingsley Otuaro deputy governor was sealed in his Asokoro, Abuja residence by five persons, namely, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Senator James Manager, Otuaro, Senator Okowa and himself (Clark).
He said: “It is not to my knowledge and I was never a party to an arrangement that Okowa should hand over to an Ijaw person at the end of his term and there was no working accord known to me.
“It was not a part of the arrangement when I decided to support Dr Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015. It was not a matter between the Aniomas and the Ijaws. It was not based on any condition other than competence, equity and, fair play.
“Some of us championed the cause of Delta North producing the governor of Delta State in 2015 for inclusiveness and unity of the state.
“For record purposes, I would like to mention how in 2014, His Majesty, Prof Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, accompanied by 11 traditional rulers of Anioma extraction with Chief Benjamin Elue, former Deputy Governor of Delta State, as Anioma Congress secretary, came to pay me a visit, requesting that an Anioma indigene be considered for the governorship of Delta state in 2015, and to support them in their demand for Anioma State.
“Prof Edozien after our discussions, invited me to Asaba, to attend a mega rally organized at the Cenotaph, Asaba. I was the guest of honour, in order to identify with the Anioma, I dressed in Anioma attire. When it was my turn to speak in reply to their address, I assured them that I will support their request, and will see that it is realized.
“At a subsequent meeting, with the then governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, I discussed the matter with him and we agreed that Delta North should produce the gubernatorial candidate of PDP in 2015, for proper integration in the state.
“That was the reason why we recommended Dr Steve Oru to replace Godsday Orubebe as a Minister representing Delta State in Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s government, instead of Dr Cairo Ojougboh who is also from Anioma. Dr Ojougboh then took Dr Oru’s position as the Vice Chairman of the PDP in South-South.
“I will like to state with the greatest respect that the main beneficiaries of these series of interactions is our competent and intelligent governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent Governor of Delta state
“It is at this juncture that Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, came to me in Abuja, where we decided to adopt the candidature of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
“The arrangement for Okowa to become PDP gubernatorial candidate in Delta State with Otuaro as his deputy was finally sealed in my house.”
