Uduaghan’s hard road to victory and work ahead
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South
The race was dubbed, “the last battle for the soul of Delta”. That was essentially because it was the last opportunity in the foreseeable future to uproot the political foundation laid by Chief James Ibori which has since 1999 formed governments in the State.
The April 26 governorship poll in the state met and even surpassed the permutations of political pundits in terms of the brawn, sagacity, violence, raw propaganda and Machiavellian tactics that accompanied it. It is one election that was fought with the spirit, soul and body by the key actors.
At the end of the day, Governor Uduaghan proved once again the superiority of his political machine but it was not a trouble-free victory as he was given the battle of his life by Ogboru and his men.
Fresh mandate
The import of April 26 is that no matter what has been mouthed about Uduaghan, a greater number of Deltans according to the result believe in him and trust him to steer the ship of the state till 2015. However, it was a slim victory, as Uduaghan finally won with 13 local governments, while Ogboru won in 12 local governments.
What this belief and trust should mean to Uduaghan between now and 2015 is greater service delivery to the people. This is not to say that he did not move the state forward, but he has to do more this time around. The people are interested more in simple practical projects that will change their lives and not grandiose projects.
What Deltans want
Governor Uduaghan prayed Deltans during his second term campaign for another four years to consolidate on what he started in 2007 and complete them in 2015. Now that God has answered his prayers, he should start in earnest as time waits for nobody. His emphasis should be on cost-effective life-transforming projects that will put food on the table of Deltans.
Ogboru fought a good fight
Looking at the DPP, which was unknown in the state before now, Chief Ogboru also, deserves kudos for giving the incumbent a very strong battle. From his disquieting performance in the January 6, 2011 governorship re-run, he came out stronger on April 26, not only spreading his wings authoritatively in Delta Central Senatorial District, but encroaching more into Uduaghan’s territory in Delta North Senatorial District. He added Ika South to his kitty besides Oshimili South, Ukwuani and Ndokwa.
If wishes were horses
Few days to the election, Ogboru boasted to this reporter that Uduaghan would not get more than 10 per cent in Delta Central, his prediction almost came true, but his boast that both of them would run neck-to-neck in Delta South and that he would thrash him (Uduaghan) 60-40 was far from reality.
However, at the time of this report, Ogboru’s forces were said to have congregated at Asaba waiting for the final word from the leadership of the DPP to embark on a peaceful protest over the outcome of the election, while Ogboru, himself was billed to address a press conference on the matter.
Whatever it is, he fought a good fight from the results that were declared. For whoever, knows Chief Ogboru, he is not tired of going to court to table his grievances, that should be a better road to follow than the state boiling over governorship election.
Clark eats humble pie
Apart from Ogboru, who must be counting his losses after several gubernatorial battles since the Ibori era, another person that would feel the pain of Uduaghan’s victory is Chief Edwin Clark, who practically swore that Uduaghan would not rule the state any more. Clark, who is a member of the PDP, chose to engage in what politicians describe as anti-party activity to work for Ogboru, the candidate of DPP, than Uduaghan, who is the candidate of his own party.
The signs of what would come showed up in the April 9 National Assembly polls when his son, Mr. Ebikeme Clark, who he wanted to install as a member of the House of Representatives for Burutu constituency under the platform of DPP was defeated by his PDP opponent, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Frank Enekorogha. But, by then, the older Clark had crossed the Rubicon and did not want to renege on his stand on Ogboru.
Gbagi, Orubebe’s olive branch
Clark’s anti-Uduaghan venom was believably so strong that the Minister of Niger-Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who he practically anointed as a Minister, fell out with him, insisting that as a party man, he would not work against the interest of the governorship candidate of the party.
It was a last minute decision by the two ministers from the state, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi and Orubebe to support the party’s candidate, Uduaghan, despite the animosity. Vanguard learnt that Gbagi spearheaded the moves and even spoke to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governorship candidate, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege, rumoured to have teamed up with Ogboru, to join forces with Uduaghan.
It was not known how the eleventh hour trouble-shooting efforts in Delta Central helped Uduaghan’s course, but nothing would have changed the tide and strong sentiments in Urhobo land on April 26.Only a magician could have stopped the tide. The governor, is expected to in the spirit of being a good father move towards breaking the power of the evil seed that has been planted against him in the district with his good works in the next four years.
Delta North eyes 2015
Finally, in terms of power sharing, the greatest beneficiary of Uduaghan’s victory should be the Delta North Senatorial District, which is now strategically positioned to go for the governorship with boldness in 2015, as long as Uduaghan, from the Delta South Senatorial District, has won and would have served, by the grace of God, his eight-year tenure by that time.
