The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has secured the overwhelming endorsement and unanimous approval of his people and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State, to re-contest the House of Representatives seat, in the 2023 general elections.

Elumelu’s endorsement was sequel to his consultation visits over the weekend to the critical stakeholders of his party, the PDP, in the four Local Government Area of the Federal Constituency, where he formally declared his intention to re-contest for the seat in the 2023 general elections

Elumelu, who currently represents Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was accorded a resounding reception befitting royalty, by the Party leaders and critical stakeholders in each of the Local Government Areas of Aniocha North, Oshimili South, Aniocha South and Oshimili North respectively.

Addressing the leaders of the Party, Elumelu noted that the timing of the consultative visit followed the approval of the PDP guidelines for the 2023 general election by the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“Having approved the guidelines by virtue of the Electoral act and having so complied, it becomes very imperative and a must for us to pick up our forms. Of course, I cannot pick up the forms when you have not given me the mandate to do so. We have only between Thursday 17th and Sunday 20th to do that and that why I have come to consult with you in that regard.

Elumelu revealed how the Principal Secretary to the Delta State Governor single handedly purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for him but that he decided not to pick the forms until he had received the approval of his people; a mandate which was overwhelmingly given to him in the four Local Government Areas.

The federal lawmaker used the opportunity of the massive gathering of his people to brief them of his activities in the House of Representatives. He also explained in details, the three gender bills which the House of Representatives has returned for reconsideration.

The bills include those on indigeneship by marriage, citizenship by marriage for foreign women married to Nigerian men as well as Affirmative action which seeks to amend section 223 of the constitution to provide 5% affirmative action to ensure women occupy at least 35% in political party administration.

On Affirmative action, the Minority leader said that the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has already commenced with the implementation in the State.

“I am happy to inform you that your Son, His Excellency the humble and working Governor of our dear State has started implementing it one by one. Today, we have more women now as councilors in the Local Government in Delta State and it is compulsory for a woman to be Local Government Vice Chairman in our State.

“So, I told them that in Delta State we are already practicing it, but for the purposes of making it universal, we will support the bill to scale through,” the Minority leader assured.

On who takes over from the incumbent State Governor in 2023, Elumelu pleaded with the critical stakeholders to be circumspect and united in searching for a suitable candidate who can leverage on the achievements of Governor Okowa to further lift the State forward

While commending his constituents for their continuous prayers and support for him, Elumelu affirmed that his representation, particularly his intervention in infrastructural and human capital development, has in no small measure, put the Aniocha/Oshimili in the front burner of socio-economic and political development in Nigeria.

He also affirmed that his empowerment programme for 2021 is ready and awaiting a date by Governor Okowa, who is expected to hand over the empowerment items to beneficiaries.

“The empowerment we did last year was for 2020. The 2021 empowerment is ready. We are going to march to the Cenotaph in a few days to collect our empowerment items,” he announced.

Stakeholders in the four Local Government Areas, all applauded Elumelu’s impressive performance in the National Assembly and collectively endorsed him to contest for re-election into the House of Representatives in the forthcoming general election.

While unanimously endorsing him to re-contest under the PDP, the critical stakeholders appreciated Hon. Hillary Ibegbulem for helping the people of the Federal Constituency to procure the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Minority Leader.

They mandated Hon. Elumelu to, without delay, accept the forms, while assuring his of their support at every level of his aspiration

Elumelu was overwhelmingly received at each of the Local Government Areas by party leaders, ward executive members, Local Government Executive members, leaders and members of the Legislative arms and massive turnout of youths in the Federal Constituency.

It was a resounding display of competence and capacity to govern Delta State on Friday when a leading aspirant for the 2023 governorship race in the state, Hon Efe Ofobruku, met with the committee constituted by the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to interact with the governorship aspirants from Delta Central Senatorial District.

The committee, headed by the UPU President-General, Olorogun Moses Taiga, comprised of representatives from the academia, clergy, women and chairman of the forum of Urhobo President-Generals.

Ofobruku, a two-time lawmaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and immediate past Special Adviser to the Governor on Legislative matters told the committee that part of what he intends to do differently is to change the narrative as regards the economy and social development of the state is putting in place a system of government he termed “Entrepreneurial Governance”.

“Bearing in mind all of these that, we will be able to key into the existing development plan of the state government having served in different capacities in the state. We will be re-engineering the system and processes in the state.

“We will run a system of government whereby government creates the enabling environment and the private sector drives the economic activities of the various sectors of the economy hence creating jobs, creating wealth and making taxes available to the government.

This is because by creating jobs the people will pay tax, by creating wealth those who are creating wealth will pay tax for the government to have funds to work with to address other socio-economic issues that are the responsibility of the government,” said Ofobruku.

The outspoken politician from Uvwie Local Government Area seized the opportunity of his meeting with the UPU committee to address the issue of ‘One Belle’ and youths begging all over the streets of Asaba.

“The existing government has designed a template already for wealth creation by making sure that people acquire skills but this time around we intend to take it to a new level by setting up a TASK TEAM that will first and foremost, interact with those shortlisted before they embark on the Skills acquisition programme.

“When they are shortlisted, before they are trained, they will have to pass through the TASK TEAM.
I have personally realised that some people who are sent on these Skills acquisition trainings are not interested.
So, we have a situation where people go for Skills acquisition, they are given Starter Packs and they sell them.

“The TASK TEAM will filter out those who do not want to acquire skills and take a step further to know their area of interest and strength so as to integrate them into the system through other means.

“On the issue of most of our youths getting involved in Yahoo, Yahoo or Yahoo Plus. What we call Yahoo is hacking; they hack into the databases of banks, individuals, large corporations and transfer funds.

“We intend to set up Delta State model of Sìlicon Valley where these young men with such skills will be brought together so that the hacking skill can be harnessed.
Because we believe that if they can design the algorithm to hack, with minimun training they can also create the algorithm that will serve as antidote which in the information technology world is called a Firewall to block hacking and secure data.
Such firewall can be licensed, patented and patent right paid to the developer by which both the youths and government will be making money.”

Continuing, Ofobruku told the UPU to be wary of some gladiators that are in the field now saying some of them have pending court cases, on the watchlist of EFCC, have cases of forgery and even lying under oath.

He said, “Among those who are gladiators in the race, I present myself as the only one without blemish.
It will be a disaster and a great disservice to the entire Urhobo nation if, at the end of the day, we get a candidate, who wins the primary and is disqualified either after the primary or after winning the general election.

“So, if we must go to the battle, we must go with a candidate that has taken time to prepare for the job, that has read, that has also cut his teeth politically. Among all those who are aspiring today, I am the only one that has won elections under the most difficult circumstances in the state.

“Let UPU look at the credentials of some these gladiators ahead of time and if possible they can reach out to the relevant authorities and check if actually, these people have what they are parading.”

Following the brilliant presentation of Ofobruku, the UPU PG, Olorogun Taiga and his committee members who were overwhelmed intermittently clapped for Ofobruku during the interaction due to the fact that among those who presented themselves to the committee he was the only one who could address every issue using the Urhobo dialect and English Language perfectly.

This was very instructive to the UPU committee because some of the governorship aspirants who have appeared before it could not articulate issues using the local dialect and some even struggled with speaking English Language.

The UPU PG prayed for Hon Efe Ofobruku, wished him well and hoped that his party leadership and members and indeed Deltans will decide in his favour.

By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA

Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries for the 2023 general elections, the Aniocha North Local Government Area (ANLG) of Delta State Chapter of the Party, have unanimously resolved not to adopt any gubernatorial or legislative aspirant, unless the leader of the Party in the State, Governor Ifeany Okowa gives a direction.

The PDP leaders/stakeholders in ANLG, who added that any leader /stakeholder doing otherwise, would be doing so on his or her own without their support, disclosed this in a 10-point communique raised and duly signed by 28 leaders including some aspirants after two enlarged stakeholders meetings held at the country home of Prof. Sylvester Monye, MFR, Senior Policy Adviser to Governor Okowa, in Onicha-Ugbo.

The communique disclosed that the PDP in Aniocha North retrospectively considered their past performances in primaries and general elections that were characterised by intrigues, group clashes, infighting, alleged rigging and near permanent enmity which had always resulted to low voters turnouts, as a concomitant effect of the apathy at polls, thereby performing poorly in overall elections in the State.

The communique, which was signed by, Prof. Sylvester Monye, Emma Bazim Chinye, Jaunty Okwudi, Dr Val Okafor, Barr. Callistus Nwawolo, Dan Okenyi, Engr. Modungwo Austine, Andy Offor, Dr. Michael Nwoko, Adam Anyasi, Barr. Tonnie Nwaokwu, Paul Nmah, Engr. Fidel Onwordi, Prince Uzoma Idaboh and others, rejected any consensus arrangement for the House of Assembly under any guise.

See Communique:

“The two editions of Aniocha-North PDP Leaders/Stakeholders meeting held at the country home of Professor Sylvester Monye, MFR, the Senior Policy Adviser to His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa retrospectively considered our past performances in both primaries and general elections, characterized by intrigues, group clashes, in-fighting, alleged rigging and almost permanent enmity which have always resulted to low voters turn-out as a concomitant effect of apathy at the polls, thereby contributing very little to the overall fortunes of the party in Delta State.

“In the two meetings, which were also well attended by aspirants of mostly House of Assembly, unanimously resolved as follows:

That we shall not rush to adopt any gubernatorial aspirant, unless the leader of PDP in the State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa gives us a direction. Any leader or stakeholder doing otherwise will be doing so on his or her own without our support.

2. That for House of Assembly primaries, we shall no longer accept any form of consensus arrangement under any guise.

3. That we shall no longer accept any form of manipulation, geared towards rigging.

4. That all aspirants who have purchased nomination and expression of interest forms from PDP shall be entitled to participate in the primaries.

5. That the primary election shall be free, fair and transparent.
6. That all aspirants shall undertake to support whoever emerges from the primaries.

7. That all aspirants shall continue to support PDP in all activities whether they lose or win.8. That leaders/stakeholders shall continue to support PDP by upholding her policies, guidelines, directives and the Constitution of the party.

9. That this communique shall be transmitted to the following:

i. The Governor of Delta State, Send. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
ii. The Chairman, PDP, Delta State.
III. The Chairman, PDP, Delta North Senatorial District.
iv. The Chairman, PDP, Aniocha North LGA.
v. All PDP House of Assembly aspirants.

10. That this communique shall be endorsed to buttress its validity by the following Leaders and stakeholders, including aspirants for the State House of Assembly.

By Bulou Kosin

Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Tuesday, said he was inspired by Almighty God to contest and assume the Governorship of Delta State in 2023 just as he reiterated that he “came into government by divine orchestration”.

Otuaro, who spoke to newsmen in Asaba during the inauguration of his campaign office along DBS road, Asaba, said: “My inspiration to contest the governorship position is divine. It defies explanation with ordinary words. God, who is interested in Delta State, is giving us support. The responses we got from the consultation moves round the state were amazing and unprecedented”.

The Deputy Governor emphasized that since he came into government as Deputy Governor, “God has been faithful. We’ve been steering the ship of state. The Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta State administration has done well as exemplified in the height of infrastructural development”, adding: “I have a robust relationship with Governor Okowa who has been like an elder brother that he is. Indeed, what binds us together is fear of the Almighty God whose direction he seeks on the issue of succession. One sterling remark the Governor made on the issue of succession is that if we don’t do it God’s way, we won’t succeed. Let me tell you that I am prepared and chosen to take over the mantle of leadership of Delta State in 2023. Going forward, we are going to see an industrialized Delta State with more jobs. The blueprint will be out soon”.

Fielding question on whether he was not disqualified by the senatorial power rotation agreement in Delta State, Otuaro said his principal, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had long cleared the air when he said a formal senatorial zoning arrangement is not to his knowledge.

“I stand to identify with that. The Governor has been a longer player in the polity. He has therefore assured that he is going to give level playing field to all aspirants. Besides, the enabling laws of Nigeria gives me franchise, gives me right to contest”, Otuaro posited.

Otuaro said ahead of pursuit of his ambition, he informed his boss, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who wished him well, stressing: “Recent rumour that His Excellency, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa asked him to step down from the governorship race remain in the realm of rumours that have no space in our drive”.

Otuaro assured that with the support of God he is enjoying: “Jinxes are meant to be broken. With God helping, I’ll break the long jinx of Deputy Governors not making into Governors in the polity. Beneath people like me with quiet and peaceful exteriors, as perceived by the public, usually lie strength”.

By Bulou Kosin
Senior Special Assistant, Press and Communication to the Deputy Governor of Delta State

Whether you are one amongst the massive multitude of admirers, supporters, peers, and loyalists of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Ekwueme of the Universe, or you belong to that dwindling, rabble-rousing, infinitesimal crop of incorrigible, willing or reluctant detractors and cretins, who are always ready and eager to bad mouth and undermine him, one thing you must give to the Ekwueme himself is that he has never got it wrong and will never get it wrong. Governor Okowa has always done and will continue to do the right thing in the interest of Delta and Deltans.

The Movement for Stronger Delta, MSD, recalls with clarity that when, in January this year, Governor Okowa declared that only God, not man, can direct him on his successor and urged Deltans to seek the face of God, adding that he can’t play God and whoever will succeed him must keep the Alter fire burning, certain persons with very questionable and counter-productive motives, started applying all manner of subtle, covert, surreptitious and even downright hostile and acrimonious propaganda against the office and personality of the Governor, to actually compel him to play God and make a definite pronouncement and anointing.

But we are quite joyful and satisfied that Governor Okowa, like the visionary, deeply prayerful and always consulting leader, who wants the best and nothing but the best for Deltans, kept his calm, unruffled, patient, strategically astute counsel and countenance, even when the din from various interest groups was loudly threatening to implode the polity and set in motion, a well-orchestrated plot by those in pursuit of their personal ambitions, to disunite, dislocate and derail the divine mandate and consolidation of a #stronger Delta for all Deltans.

Following the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari to the amended Electoral Act, and the release by INEC of the timetable and guidelines for the 2023 general elections, activities in the political space became clearer and more robust as the apprehension which had trailed the President’s repeated refusal to sign the electoral bill into law dissipated rapidly, even though clause 84 (12) still remains a potential game-changer, as political permutations unfold.

The Movement for Stronger Delta is quite impressed with the fervour and intensity of the debate which has surrounded the issue of ‘zoning’, especially in the PDP and we are strongly convinced that just like in the previous three election cycles before now, the matter of ‘zoning’, will be settled amicably and resolved without any further controversy, to the satisfaction of all, under the wise, divinely guided watch of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Ekwueme will not disappoint Deltans on ‘zoning’ and you can take that to the bank.

Intriguingly, however, the ‘zoning’ conundrum in Delta State, particularly in the PDP, actually involves Delta South and Delta central, and we must indeed applaud the political maturity of Delta North for whom Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is serving out its second term to complete the ‘zoning’ arrangement that started with Delta Central and was followed by Delta South.

We want to commend Delta North PDP for its exemplary and admirable discipline, in ensuring that some renegade politician, whether sponsored or not, has not sprung up from Anioma Nation to start campaigning for the Governorship ticket, after Governor Okowa’s tenure, but that the entire Delta North PDP family has unanimously, categorically, and unequivocally spoken with one voice in solidarity with their son, that they will follow Governor Okowa in 2023 and where ever Ekwueme goes, is where they will go.

No trust can be greater than the trust of your people and Governor Okowa has earned the trust of the Anioma Nation.

As it stands now however, the Guber front runner from Delta South is the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Deacon (Barr.) Kingsley Burutu Otuaro. A man of meek and Godly virtues, and a recognized legal practitioner, he has served loyally, diligently and with unquestionable commitment to the mandate, first of the SMART Agenda and then the consolidation of #Stronger Delta. He will indeed make a worthy successor and the field is open for a free, fair, and transparent primary in the PDP, as Governor Okowa has pledged.

Delta Central, however, appears to have prepared itself properly for 2023, when some noble, patriotic and seasoned political figures in the PDP, under the aegis of DC-23, a Pan-Delta Central ethnopolitical pressure group, took it upon themselves, with real vigour and crusading zest, as they have every constitutional right and freedom to so associate, to try and set an agenda for the emergence of a candidate that will be supported by all in the long run, except of course those who do not mean well for the zone or the party.

Interested aspirants were encouraged to submit themselves to a properly composed screening committee, comprising some of the most distinguished, erudite, and well-respected statesmen from the Central Senatorial District.

At the end of the pruning exercise, three aspirants emerged as the selected choices of DC-23, and while a number of those who didn’t make the shortlist have continued campaigning, the unanimous consensus is that the three aspirants; Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, and, Mr. David Edevbie, also have the requisite capacity, acumen and appeal, to represent Delta Central perfectly.

Chief Kenneth Gbagi, a former Education Minister, Criminologist, entrepreneur, lawyer, and philanthropist, often regarded as one of the founding fathers and pioneer pillars of Delta State, actually declared his governorship intention first and has embarked on a dynamic, highly visible, and energetic campaign.

His competence and experience, as the only elder statesman amongst the shortlisted aspirants, are not in doubt, but while he has attempted to engage the issues of a development agenda with some gusto, he has not however covered himself in glory with some of his utterances and innuendos, which have not only hinted at divisive, polarizing, and genocidal tendencies, but also echoed derisive descriptions aimed at some top personalities in the PDP; all of which have actually left many wondering about his loyalty to the party.

He is also carrying a personal baggage of alleged domestic violence and despite a legal victory over his petitioners, the baggage still hovers around him like an ominous cloud.

Mr. David Edevbie is an economist, an investment banker, with an impressive academic resume which includes an MBA from Cardiff School of Business, University of Wales, and the renowned Harvard Business School.

He is said to have cut his teeth at the globally reputed Barclays Bank, London, and grew to top Investment Executive at Hill Samuel Bank from where the Commonwealth Development Corporation engaged him as Investment Officer for Asia and the Pacific Region where he contributed to the economic and social development of such nations as Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the rest of the Asian Tiger countries.

Young, debonair and generally regarded as sophisticated and elitist with a healthy post-modern work-ethic and a seeming attitudinal arrogance allegedly tilting distastefully towards contemptuous, haughty, egocentric snobbishness, Edevbie’s political credentials begin and end with his stints as a hitherto long-serving Commissioner in the Delta State cabinet, a Principal Secretary to the President (PSP) and the Chief of Staff to Governor Okowa’s Government.

He also has a personal baggage, carried over from his first stint as Delta State Commissioner of Finance from 1999 – 2007 and those who remember that tenure and it’s aftermath, will know what this is all about.

Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, is the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. His political credentials are impeccable. He is a thoroughbred grassroots politician, having started his political career from the very root, as a councillor and rising through the political trajectory to become Chairman of his Osubi Community, a legislator representing Okpe Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly since 2015 and emerging by overwhelming popular choice, as Speaker in 2017, following the removal of the then incumbent.

He was re-elected as their legislator by his people and again as Speaker in 2019 and his tenure as the number one lawmaker in Delta State, has arguably lasted more than any of his predecessors and has ushered in the most peaceful, rancour-free, pragmatically driven legislature, working in harmonious tandem and symbiosis with the Executive and Judiciary, in the history of Delta State.

None of the other aspirants have contributed more to the actualization of the SMART Agenda and the consolidation of #Stronger Delta, than Rt. Hon.Sheriff Oborevwori.

Calm, focused, determined, firm, exhibiting admirable humility and simplicity, and unwavering in his conduct and convictions, Sheriff Oborevwori is a detribalized “home boy” to his friends, associates, peers, and colleagues.

His generousity and humaness are legendary. He commands respect with effortless ease and carries himself with a magisterial authority which lends ample credence to the phrase that “Leaders are born, not made”.

He also carries everybody along and his simple warm, broad and always constant smile, is as pure and clear as his intentions.

Boasting excellent academic credentials to his curriculum vitae, Oborevwori is a proud alumnus of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, where he bagged a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, our own Delta State University, Abraka, where he got his Masters Degree still in Political Science, the Alliance Manchester Business School of Manchester University Leadership Executive Certificate Programme, and the London School of Economics and Political Science certificate Programme on Leading Inclusive Development, amongst others.

He has no personal baggage or controversy to weigh him down and indeed, with an eye on the bigger picture of the Governorship election to come, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, embodies the perfect mix of popularity, political strength, leadership authority, administrative experience and acumen, and a personality that is charming, accommodating, courteous, accessible and a great team player, to do battle under the umbrella of the PDP, with whoever is imposed, or even imposes himself as we have been reliably informed, on the other political groups in the State. He is indeed the perfect epitome of a Pan-Delta Candidate.

Like we said earlier, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the ‘Ekwueme gburugburu’ has never got it wrong and will never get it wrong in ensuring that only the best will be delivered, both in addressing the ‘zoning’ issue and in fulfilling the interest of Deltans and ensuring a #StrongerDelta for all Deltans.

That, as we have always declared is the SIMPLE Agenda.

MOVEMENT FOR STRONGER DELTA (MSD).

Plans have been concluded for the official declaration of a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State, Senator Ighoyota Amori, for the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the 2023 general elections.

Amori, who is currently the Deputy National Organising Secretary of PDP is set to declare his intention to be the voice of the Urhobos of Delta State in the Red Chamber on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at his Mosogar country home in Ethiope West Local Government Area beginning at 12noon.

The declaration to be chaired by renowned professor of English Language, Prof Hope Eghagha has the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori as Special Guest of Honour, his successor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Guest of Honour and Chief Mike Adiotomre, father of the day.

Following the Pan Delta disposition of Senator Amori, the declaration is expected to be graced by party leaders and eminent personalities across the state and beyond.

Senator Amori is currently the National Chairman of the Delta Central 2023 (DC-23), a foremost political lobby group in Delta State championing the rotation of power amongst the three senatorial districts of the state.

He was the founding Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Delta State and Political Adviser to three former National Chairmen of the party.

Amori has also held several positions including Delta State Commissioner for Education during which three polytechnics were established in the state, that of Water Resources and Political Adviser to former governors Ibori and Uduaghan.

The Mosogar born political tactician and strategist is renowned for his mobilisation of the PDP to victory since 1999 in Delta state.