By Emma Amaize
THE tempo of politics in Delta State changed, in the last 48 hours, especially for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following reports that President Goodluck Jonathan would be flying in from Abuja to drum up support, Tuesday, in Warri, for the former Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the party’s gubernatorial candidate in Thursday’s re-run.

National leader of the Delta State Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Forum, DELSF, and former Minister for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, who swore that he will prevail on Mr. President not to campaign for Uduaghan, has been curiously silent in the last three weeks. It was not known, however, whether he had changed his position, but, what was certain was that he was not able to dissuade the President from supporting Uduaghan.

However, Warri is already bubbling with activities and party faithful are excited with President Jonathan’s decision to come for the rally, a political master stroke, which political analysts believed, has altered the computation of PDP’s opponents in the state and boosted the morale of members.

Party stalwarts started trooping into Warri and neighbouring Effurun, Tuesday afternoon, for the rally, where President Jonathan is expected to publicly announce Dr. Uduaghan as his choice, contrary to the rumour that he was supporting the candidate of another party. Hotels in Warri and Effurun were said to be fully booked, last night.

National chairman of the party, Dr  Okwesileze Nwodo and other top party leaders, including PDP governors in the South-South states are expected to attend the rally, scheduled to hold at the Warrri Township Stadium, which is wearing a new look for the momentous event. Also, security arrangements in Warri have been beefed up with more soldiers and policemen deployed to ensure a hitch-free visit.

Delta State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chief Paulinus Akpeki who confirmed to Vanguard that the calculations of the opposition elements in the state against Uduaghan had been defeated, said, “The visit of Mr. President and the high-powered leadership to Warri to address the ‘Mother of rallies’ in support of Uduaghan’s candidature in the re-run election is a positive re-affirmation of the support of the party’s hierarchy has for Uduaghan”.

“The significance of the visit is that it will send a clear and umambiguous signal to the whole world that there is a robust and untainted relationship between the President and Dr. Uduaghan, and that indeed, Mr. President wants him, Dr. Uduaghan to be re-elected to continue his good works of fast-tracking the socio-economic transformation of Delta State”, he said.

Chief Akpeki added, “Besides, it will erase the negative impression and wicked rumour being peddled by some political opponents that Mr. President was giving subterranean support to one of the governorship candidates from Delta Central Senatorial District in the re-run election”.