Otobo, Ejoor, other Delta elders rise against Clark

By Emma Amaize
A collection of knowledgeable and reputable elders of Delta State, provisionally led by the former Deputy Premier of the defunct Midwest region and First Republic politician, Chief James Otobo, moved, yesterday, to give the state a proper leadership direction, differing principally on principles with some of the positions already taken by the Chief Edwin Clark-led Delta Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, DELSF, on the affairs of the state.

Specifically, the new group, Delta State Peoples Elders Council, which came as a child of necessity following the situation on ground in the state, disagreed with the position of the Chief Clark group that the former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan should not be returned by Deltans in the forthcoming re-run election.

The DSPEC parades in its fold such eminent Deltans as the former military governor of the defunct Midwest region, Maj.-Gen. David Ejoor; two-time Senator and Delta North leader, Obi (Senator) Nosike Ikpo; Iyatsere of Warri, Chief Gabriel Mabiaku; former chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, Senator Fred Brume; one-time governorship aspirant in the defunct Bendel State, Chief Godwin Iwegbue and prominent Ijaw leader and banker, Chief Emmanuel Ebimami

They said the council would provide the missing leadership link between the people and government and only elders with high reputation and integrity that would not fall to financial temptations would be part of the group.

The group, which met at Asaba in a communiqué read to newsmen by Senator Brume stated in part as follows:

“The peoples of Delta State were recently jolted by the nullification of the 2007 Governorship election and ordering of a re-run by the Court of Appeal, which led to an overall review of the political situation in the state in recent times.

“It was observed that there have been several cases concerning the past holders of offices, in particular a former governor of the state, whose family members and others were convicted in courts in London and also cases in Dubai, having to do with extradition, as well as the most recent case of election nullification.

“This situation made many elders of the state ponder over what has been going on and to ask questions among themselves.

“This crystallized in an attempt to bring together a small number of knowledgeable and highly regarded elders to thrash out what should be done in the circumstance,” they said.

“Based on the Court of Appeal decision for a rerun and the subsequent endorsement of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, supported by the  leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, it is only necessary that we stand behind him and urge all Deltans to throw their weight behind him,” the DSPEC asserted.

Resolutions:

The elders deliberated over the issues and concluded that “experience and reputable elders have not been sufficiently coordinated to make impact on the governance and governments of the state in the past, which may have contributed to the surprising and embarrassing incidents that have manifested in recent times”.

“The elders present also noted that government in the state has not adequately represented the people of the state, which has created a gap between it and the people being governed, unlike other parts of the country, where there exist people’s –based organizations like Ohaneze in the East, Oodua and Afenifere in the West and Arewa Consultative Forum in the North.

“Consequently, the elders present agreed to constitute the nucleus of a new group, the Delta State Peoples Elders Council, DSPEC, which would provide the missing leadership link between the people and government”, the communiqué stated.

According to them, “DSPEC will endeavor to influence and advice government and aspirants to political offices in the state, as well as monitor their performance to ensure that they meet with the normal aspirations and needs of the people of the state, and also conform to acceptable normal and international standards while in government’.

“The leaders of the Delta State People Elders’ Council are in themselves expected to be men of high reputation and integrity who would not easily fall to financial temptations and who are in themselves not office seekers. They are people expected to maintain high ethical values, which are expected to be eternal, and should apply to present as well as future governments. The ultimate aim being to ensure stability, peace, progress of the people and development of Delta State at all times.

“This Council came into existence as a child of necessity given the situation that we suddenly found ourselves, such as the various court cases concerning our peoples who have served in government, locally and internationally, court cases in political parties in respect of parallel executives, instances of shadow political parties and all such activities that have reduced the notion of practitioners of government from the service of the people as a primary goal to self_service”, they said.

The added, “It should be noted that the Delta State Peoples Elders Council is an organization committed to the tenets and values of democracy, which presupposes that all candidates seeking any political office must submit themselves to free, fair and transparent election”.

“Finally, based on the  Court of Appeal decision for a rerun and the subsequent endorsement of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, supported by the  leader of the party, President Goodluck Jonathan, it is only necessary that we stand behind him and urge all Deltans to throw their weight behind him”, the DSPEC asserted.