By Festus Ahon, Simon Ebegbulem, and Olayinka Latona
The Democratic Peoples Party, DPP,  candidate for the governorship re-run election in Delta State, Chief Great  Ogboru, has called on traditional rulers and stakeholders in the state to always stand by the truth, no matter whose ox was gored “as that is the way to restore our dignity as a people.”

Drawing the attention of over 25 traditional rulers from the Delta North senatorial district of the state, at the palace of the Obi of Issele Uku HRM, Obi Henry Ezeagwuna, who had gathered in solidarity with the aspiration of  Ogboru as Governor of Delta State, he expressed his burning desire to transform Delta State into an enviable hub in South South Nigeria. He said, “it saddens my heart at the level of underdevelopment of our state and deliberate impoverishment of the people by the so called immediate past Governors of Delta.

The huge resource at the disposal of these individuals to better the lives of our people do not commensurate with what we see on ground. Again, you may ask, what is the moral justification for this same individuals to want to come back to govern deltans again.”

Ogboru, assured Deltans of equity and fairness in the administration of the state, both in the physical development and appointments into the state cabinet to deserving indigenes.  He also explained his people oriented programmes to the traditional rulers and thousands of Deltans, who besieged the palace of the Issele Uku monarch. His emphasis to  transform the state starting from the grassroots, villages and communities explains his planned N100million monthly allocations to the local government areas for community development, though with strict monitoring from notable communities leaders and government supervision, these in addition to other community projects will no doubt impart the lives of the people, he noted.

1000 members of Isoko group declare support for Uduaghan

AHEAD of the re-run election slated for tomorrow, over 1000 members of Delta State Movement for Change, Isoko North Local Government Area chapter, have declared their support for the Peoples democratic Party, PDP governorship candidate, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Chairman of the chapter, Elder Onokpochehoke Okedi, who spoke to the Vanguard, after a meeting of the group in Ozoro, yesterday, said  Uduaghan was the best articulated and coordinated candidate in the re-run.

Okedi said their decision to join forces with the PDP candidate stemmed from the good leadership qualities of Uduaghan, describing  Chief Great Ogboru as uncoordinated.

He alleged that the Ogboru political camp had  been hijacked by people who were not in touch with the people of the grassroots.

Omo-Agege carpets opponents over campaign of calumny

Republican Party of Nigeria, RPN, candidate in tomorrow’s re-run poll in Delta State, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, yesterday, expressed dismay at the on-going campaign of calumny against his candidacy by his opponents.

Omo-Agege regretted that rather than engaging in issue-oriented debates, his opponents had resulted to name calling, a development that he said was not in the best interest of Deltans.

In a  statement  by Kenneth Eloho on behalf of the Omo-Agege campaign organisation, the governorship hopeful said that what was paramount to Deltans was the blue print, with which each candidate participating in the poll intends to turn around the fortune of the state.

Although the RPN candidate has been cleared to run in the poll, his candidacy has become a source of worry to opponents, who felt  that his participation may have dealt a big blow to their ambition.

Just on Monday, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,  Prof. Attahiru Jega said the commission allowed Omo-Agege to run in the election based on  legal advice and the fact that he was validly nominated by his party.

According to him, a party that participated in an election has the right to participate in a rerun, even as he said that after the RPN candidate in the 2007 election in the state died, the legal framework does not automatically give the party ticket to the deputy to the deceased candidate.

Delta indigenes in Uk endorse Uduaghan

DELTA State indigenes  in the United Kingdom, yesterday, drummed their support for Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in the forthcoming re-run election in the state, saying that Deltans need him to continue with the laudable projects he embarked upon.

The group in a statement made available to Vanguard, in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday,  by Mrs Mercy Ogodu-Erhijakpor,  while hailing the three-point agenda of Uduaghan’s administration,  said, “we have a man of gentle and good spirit, educated, good character, love for his people, hard working and God fearing. A man who is in the system and knows what to do. Today, he has developed Delta State more than any Governor in the state in terms of infrastructures and human development without considering political affiliations.

Djebah attributes security in Delta to Uduaghan

Delta State Commis sioner for Information, Mr Oma Djebah has said that in spite of the general security challenges facing the country presently, Delta State can boast of being one of the most peaceful states in the country, which was a  departure from the past. According to him, “the peaceful serenity of its towns and cities both day and night with streetlights lighting up everywhere has made criminality very marginal just as economic activities have been greatly boosted.”

Giving credit to Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in tomorrow’s re-run election in the state for this feat, Djebah said  Uduaghan gave regular and substantial support to the police and other security agencies operating in the state in terms of communication equipment, mobility and other logistics support.

Uduaghan, according to the commissioner, “put in place structures and measures not only to stabilise the peace-building efforts of his predecessor in office but also contain and curtail vestiges of restiveness and unwholesome practices in the creeks.”