ASABA—GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, last night, heaved a sigh of relief following reports that two strong erstwhile opponents are now supporting his bid for the gubernatorial seat.

The opponents are Chiefs Kenneth Gbagi and Chief Godsday Orubebe, minister of state for education and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

Vanguard gathered that the gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege was also collaborating with the Uduaghan campaign. Omo-Agege, however, said that he was still forging ahead with his gubernatorial bid.

The support of the two ministers was in the wake of text messages flying across the State that all Federal Government political appointees should go to their states to deliver their PDP governors.

The two ministers were reportedly part of the inner caucus that were against Uduaghan until they backed down last night.
Speaking ahead of today’s election, Uduaghan had told Vanguard in an interview of his continuing efforts to narrow the difference between him and some of his political rivals who he claimed were from within the PDP.

He said in an interview last week:  “Well, we are doing a lot of work as a party, we are doing a lot of campaigning, we are doing a lot of canvassing, we are doing a lot of fence mending. We have tried to do some fence mending to unite our party more than ever before and we take it that we will do better in this election.”

Chief Paulinus Akpeki, the director_general of the Gubernatorial Campaign Council equally expressed optimism on Uduaghan’s chances in today’s election in an interview ahead of today’s polls.

He said: “Our chances are very bright and this is because PDP is the only political party in the State. I have said it repeatedly that we have no opposition in Delta State and PDP is the party to beat.”

Governor Uduaghan who is flying the flag of the PDP is dogged in battle against Chief Great Ogboru, the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP who is believably his major challenger.