By Ochereome Nnanna
THERE is a biblical saying that the bones shall rise again. One of the interesting events unfolding in Delta State as the electorate prepares for the re-run of the governorship race there is the emergence of a group that calls itself Delta State People’s Elders Council (DSPEC).

It is made up of many long-retired public officers and politicians, some of whom had their heydays in the First Republic and the immediate post-war years.

Among them is the former Deputy Premier of the defunct Midwest Region, Chief James Otobo, whose name, I am sure, will not ring a bell among people of this generation. Another interesting elder is retired Major General David Ejoor, the first Military Governor of the Defunct Midwest Region and Chief of Army Staff during the post-war General Yakubu Gowon era. Others are recently retired political actors.

They include Senator Nosike Ikpo, the Iyatsere of Warri and Chief Gabriel Mabiaku; former governorship aspirant in the old Bendel State during the Second Republic; Chief Godwin Iwegbue and Senator Fred Brume, who left the Nigerian Senate in 2003.

These top elders are now ranged against the Delta Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum (DELSF) led by the irrepressible former Federal Commissioner for Information and self-acclaimed Ijaw leader, Edwin Kiagbodo Clark. Clark was a semi-retired political figure until the Warri wars of 1996-2002, during which he came boldly into the picture leading his ethnic group in the onslaught against Itsekiris over the “ownership” of Warri.

Clark has become a household name in his twilight years as he never was as a young man. After proclaiming himself “Ijaw Leader”, he went on to position himself as the leader of the South-South and often got into verbal shoot-outs with other leaders of the region, such as Ambassador Matthew Mbu. Clark’s intrepid propaganda and unceasing political engagement, combined with the rising profile of the Ijaw nation due to the armed struggle in creeks made him a formidable force.

The emergence of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as the President of Nigeria further catapulted Clark to the status of a national “elder statesman” as some see him, even though he had made it abundantly clear in the past that he was an Ijaw leader and not a nationalist.

In terms of pedigree and prestige of positions held, Clark is not fit to untie the shoe laces of Chief Otobo and General Ejoor. In fact, Ejoor was reportedly instrumental to his emergence as a Federal Commissioner. However, as Chief Great Ogboru pointed out during his recent visit to Vanguard editors, Clark is an active politician with current influence compared to most of the members of the resurgent DSPEC.

What remains to be seen in the coming weeks is whether Clark’s untiring efforts to ensure that former governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan never returns to his exalted position will succeed. It is clear as daylight that Clark’s struggle to plant someone else other than Uduaghan as governor was the immediate trigger that led to the rise of DSPEC, which has apparently come to let Clark know that he would not be allowed to bully Uduaghan with his newfound links to the presidential seat of power in Abuja.

The upshot is a boisterous press war that is raging between the two sides, especially on the pages of the newspapers. Delta State is second to none when it comes to media wars. The only state that comes remotely close is Anambra. The reason may not be far removed from the fact that Delta has the highest literacy rate in the country and commands the bulk of nationally influential media outfits.

Clark and his group would like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to remove Uduaghan as its candidate. This does not seem about to happen, because the laws permit the parties to field only those who contested in 2007. Clark is swimming against the tide in his argument that Uduaghan was imposed on the party by former Governor James Ibori.

The old man has not been able to convince the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest Uduaghan, as the latter says it has nothing on the former governor.

Another uphill task before Clark, which his opponents have capitalised upon to make him look like he is engaged in anti-party activities, is that he is seen to be the major backer of Ogboru, who is the candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP). Left to Clark, Uduaghan should not even be allowed to contest the election. But Ogboru appears confident that in a truly free and fair election he would win.

While in Vanguard he did not come across like someone looking for the kind of waiver Clark insists upon. All he is asking for is free and fair election. On this he is on the same page with the DSPEC and Uduaghan camp. Chief Peter Nwoboshi, the Chairman of the PDP in Delta State says the Party is firmly behind Uduaghan and battle-ready.

The stage is now set for Clark to lead his side to victory if he and the candidate he is backing have enough support of the Delta electorate. But their task is Herculean.

The same cannot be said for Uduaghan and his supporters who seem to have everything smoothly laid out for them. The PDP structure in Delta State is as strong as all PDP structures in South-South states. Uduaghan can point to his achievements wherever he comes to campaign.

His candidature of the PDP is assured. And very importantly, the wheel of power rotation in Delta State will move forward and swing to Delta North in 2015 rather than return to Delta Central where it had resided for eight good years.

In the battle ahead, the odds are not even and the ground is not level for all.