…Who will replace Senator Pius Ewherido?
…How prepared is the opposition?
…Will Ogboru bow to pressure and go to the senate?
Author: By Umukpedi Emmanuel
Whether the Delta state government and its electoral body likes it or not, election must hold in Delta state within the next 90 days, according to the Nigeria Constitution, to elect a Senator to represent Delta central senatorial district, following the death of Senator Pius Ewherido.
For inexplicable reasons, there have been speculations that the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) is following the script of the state government of not conducting election “soon” for strategic reason. It is being speculated that the Warri north massacre has something to do with the long delayed local government election and claims by the Ijaws that they are being maginalised.
The sudden exit of late Senator Ewherido seemed to be giving sleepless nights to some Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) elders who spoke to the Urhobo Times as some of them are now mulling with the idea of having what they described as “a credible candidate” acceptable to the people, while the main opposition the Democratic Peoples Party(DPP) is currently in disarray, following the action of the late Senator’s led faction, to join the yet to be registered All Progressive Congress(APC)
If the DPP and the APC fails to put their houses in order, it is being speculated that the PDP may have a field day. This view is also shared by the Mega Peoples Progressive Party(MPPP) Chief Afro Buikeme who hoped that the opposition would put their house in order, but most people spoken to, believe that in Delta Central, the equality and acceptability of the candidate presented could be a deceiving factor during the election, due to perceived grievances of this zone which seemed to be prepared to vote for any candidate associated with Chief Great Ogboru.
There is a general desire among Chief Ogboru supporters on the need for him to contest for the Senatorial seat, as he was going to use his popularity to mobilize his supporters for the forthcoming local government elections, as well as use the Senatorial platform to launch his elusive governorship ambition.
The first shot for this was fired by one of his fanatical supporters and DPP youth leader, Comrade Rex Anighoro. In a facebook post, he said, “While we mourn the demise of our beloved and respected Peoples Senator representing the Urhobo Nation or Delta Central at the Nigerian Senate. Late SENATOR PIUS AKPOR EWHERIDO (May God bless his soul),we must not lose... focus that we have less than 90 DAYS to do him the greatest honour by not losing this prestigious position to the hawks, who by his death are now claiming relevance with pretentious condolences and statements of how they tried to save his life (The benevolence of Machiavelli).
“I also think that by this one painful experience, there must be unity of purpose and all the small disagreements here and there be laid to rest once and for all. We must now all unite to ensure that another true vibrant Urhobo son becomes the Senator and not a BAT .
“The Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) must start looking for a suitable replacement, the Urhobo Nation that voted the DPP at the Senate must not abandon the Party now and a candidate that will unify the Party and the Urhobo Nation more importantly, must be looked for.
“Every attempt must be made to bring back the Ewherido political structure fully back to the DPP, with all suspension lifted and confidence built. A very befitting burial must be held. DPP must not go to APC. Giving one of his loyal aides the opportunity to continue from where the amiable Senator left of, may not be a bad idea and I know Uncle Ejaeta and Tony are eminently qualified.
“But also, it is not a bad idea for Olorogun Great Ogboru to go for the Senate in preparation for the battle of 2015, as it would unify the party, give it stronger presence and organize it. By 2015, another can take over and go for the Senate, while Olorogun Ogboru take another shot at the Governorship. Some may say this is desperate and say all kinds of things but for me, this is very strategic and critical to DPP stability .DPP\'S STABILITY IS OF OVERRIDING IMPORTANCE.
“However, whatever DPP has to do, it is time to act fast, what must be done, we must do quick. Ibori, Uduaghan and Amori won’t sleep, let us not let this slip. 90 DAYS IS ALREADY COUNTING.”
However, Chief Ogboru’s media aide, Mr. Efe Duku has dismissed this proposal. In his words, “Our attention has been drawn to social media (Facebook) posts/comments suggesting that Chief Great Ogboru ought to and should run for the senate seat made vacant by the painful sudden death of Senator Pius Ewherido! Whatever the rationale maybe, our view is that such is totally insensitive and disrespectful of the late Senator. Here we are, still in shock, mourning this young Urhobo leader and being confronted with careless and unfounded suggestions on an impossible/ possible replacement.
“ Chief Ogboru has never expressed interest in the senate and that has not changed. He has in fact asked persons who may be interested in Senator Ewherido\'s seat to apply wisdom by not doing so offensively at this time. This painful death cannot all of a sudden make Chief Ogboru desperate and insensitive. We appeal to all our people to deeply respect our fallen brother.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, Chief Ogboru will not go to the Senate. We respectfully ask our people to totally discountenance insinuations to the contrary. We count on your knowledge of the very character of the person of Chief Great Ogboru to separate wisdom from ill-advised comments in the social media and beyond.”
Commenting on the issue, constitutional lawyer and human rights activists, Bar. Omes Ogedegbe said, \"the painful and untimely demised of our most vibrant Senator has kept me worried as to his possible replacement, especially as the DPP has in recent times prove to be a party in a ship wreck, arising from issues of joiner and non-joiner of the amalgamated opposition party APC. I have always and will continue to advocate voting along individual qualification and not on party lines.
\"But sadly, immediately after the elections, all the candidates went back to their private business with a possible return during another election which ought not to be. As in this case, those who in the time past used the party has a kite to achieve their political ambition, has not justified the confidence reposed by the electorate. The only way is for the party to present a candidate with a verifiable credentials, who have over time, distinguished himself and not an aggrieved ally of the old and ugly system\"
However, it is generally believed that the current crisis in Warri north is a fall out of the refusal of the state government to conduct a free and fair election in that local government council and the insensitivity of the state government to address accusations and threats to peace, which had been rearing its ugly head for several months now in the area.
Currently, there are fears of an arms build-up between the Ijaws and their Itsekiri neighbour. In the forefront of the fresh crisis are the Egbema people who claimed that since the creation of Warri North Local Government in 1991, the Ijaws of Egbema had been completely neglected and marginalised in political appointments as well as in the civil service jobs, despite the fact that the Ijaws were more in population.
The Egbema people are alleging that 90 percent of political appointments in the area favoured only the Itsekiris to the detriment of the Ijaws of Egbema kingdom.
They had recently petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over their perceived marginalisation by the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration and their Itsekiri neighbours.
The Ijaws have also been agitating that although their kinsmen in the area outnumbered their Itsekiri counterparts, they are made to play the second fiddle in the politics of the Local Government Council and political appointments for the area.
A petition by a group in the area known as Egbemas For Positive Change (EFPC) and made available to newsmen in Warri, read in part; “Since the inception of the Local Government (Warri North), the Ijaws have not by any chance occupied the chairmanship position or any other position, either by appointment or election.
\"The same is also applicable to state appointments, accruable to the Local Government Area.”
Giving a breakdown of political offices occupied by indigenes of the area in the last 22 years, EFPC highlighted that over 30 posts, including council chairmen, lawmakers at the state and federal levels, secretary to the councils and aides to the Governors were all occupied by the Itsekiris.
The group also stated that all 413 former staff of the council as well as 350 of 365 in recent times have all come from the Itsekiri tribal stock, much to the anguish of their Ijaw kinsmen.
They accused Governor Uduaghan of being anti-Ijaw, stressing that in spite of a recent avalanche of protest, he still went ahead to appoint an Itsekiri indigene, Mr. David Edun, as the caretaker chairman of the council.
“Mr. President, this unholy act of the Itsekiri is totally against the spirit and intent of the amended 1999 constitution, as provided for in section 14(4) and 15 of the constitution,\" the petition said, as it called for the removal of Edun and his replacement with an Ijaw man.
“I also think that by this one painful experience, there must be unity of purpose and all the small disagreements here and there be laid to rest once and for all. We must now all unite to ensure that another true vibrant Urhobo son becomes the Senator and not a BAT .
“The Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) must start looking for a suitable replacement, the Urhobo Nation that voted the DPP at the Senate must not abandon the Party now and a candidate that will unify the Party and the Urhobo Nation more importantly, must be looked for.
“But also, it is not a bad idea for Olorogun Great Ogboru to go for the Senate in preparation for the battle of 2015, as it would unify the party, give it stronger presence and organize it. By 2015, another can take over and go for the Senate, while Olorogun Ogboru take another shot at the Governorship. Some may say this is desperate and say all kinds of things but for me, this is very strategic and critical to DPP stability .DPP\'S STABILITY IS OF OVERRIDING IMPORTANCE.
“However, whatever DPP has to do, it is time to act fast, what must be done, we must do quick. Ibori, Uduaghan and Amori won’t sleep, let us not let this slip. 90 DAYS IS ALREADY COUNTING.”
“For the avoidance of any doubt, Chief Ogboru will not go to the Senate. We respectfully ask our people to totally discountenance insinuations to the contrary. We count on your knowledge of the very character of the person of Chief Great Ogboru to separate wisdom from ill-advised comments in the social media and beyond.”
The Egbema people are alleging that 90 percent of political appointments in the area favoured only the Itsekiris to the detriment of the Ijaws of Egbema kingdom.
They had recently petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over their perceived marginalisation by the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration and their Itsekiri neighbours.
The Ijaws have also been agitating that although their kinsmen in the area outnumbered their Itsekiri counterparts, they are made to play the second fiddle in the politics of the Local Government Council and political appointments for the area.
A petition by a group in the area known as Egbemas For Positive Change (EFPC) and made available to newsmen in Warri, read in part; “Since the inception of the Local Government (Warri North), the Ijaws have not by any chance occupied the chairmanship position or any other position, either by appointment or election.
\"The same is also applicable to state appointments, accruable to the Local Government Area.”
Giving a breakdown of political offices occupied by indigenes of the area in the last 22 years, EFPC highlighted that over 30 posts, including council chairmen, lawmakers at the state and federal levels, secretary to the councils and aides to the Governors were all occupied by the Itsekiris.
The group also stated that all 413 former staff of the council as well as 350 of 365 in recent times have all come from the Itsekiri tribal stock, much to the anguish of their Ijaw kinsmen.
They accused Governor Uduaghan of being anti-Ijaw, stressing that in spite of a recent avalanche of protest, he still went ahead to appoint an Itsekiri indigene, Mr. David Edun, as the caretaker chairman of the council.
“Mr. President, this unholy act of the Itsekiri is totally against the spirit and intent of the amended 1999 constitution, as provided for in section 14(4) and 15 of the constitution,\" the petition said, as it called for the removal of Edun and his replacement with an Ijaw man.
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