BY EPHRAIM OSEJI

Considering the achievements of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan whose tenure ends in 2015, the debate in Delta State rages around who will succeed him.

Those interested in succeeding him come from the three senatorial districts of the state as it has always been in every governorship election since 1999.

Omo-Agege

The issue of succession in Delta State is not as simple as it seems. Given the complexity of the state and the current competitive political realities of Nigeria, care must be taken in managing the process that throws up the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the simple reason, that if an unpopular candidate is imposed, it could plunge the party into crisis.

The ongoing debate on zoning which has never been implemented in Delta has unnecessarily raised the political temperature of the state.

The Urhobos of Delta Central, through Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, have taken a reasoned decision that they will present a candidate of their choice to run for the office of governor. The Aniomas of Delta North have similarly dug in their heels that it is their turn to produce the next governor. There are also candidates from Delta South Senatorial District.

There is also the purported anointment of Sir Anthony Obuh by Uduaghan which has added a new dimension to the politics of 2015 in the state. Elder statesman Chief E. K. Clark, whom many aspirants, including Chief Kenneth Gbagi, Mrs. Esther Uduehi, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Obuh, have consulted on their governorship ambition has warned against any imposition when he declared that “it will therefore not be fair for one individual to impose one person on all the others.”

For sure, it will not be fair to long time active members of the party like Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Hon. Victor Ochei, Dr. Mrs Olejeme, Hon. Ndidi Elumenu, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who have done more for the party and in the race for the party ticket, to now give way to Obuh, who, until last month was a civil servant in the state civil service. Current indications suggest that most of these candidates have resolved to fight against the imposition of Obuh.

Equally offended by the rumored anointment of Obuh are the Urhobos, the majority ethnic group in Delta State.
They have been out of power in the state for eight years and their representation in the PDP Federal Government has been limited to two appointments compared to Delta North which has over 14 appointments.

On the basis of demography, electoral value and the stated position of UPU for candidates of Urhobo extraction to seek nomination through only the PDP and APC, Urhobos, who controls over 60 per cent of the voting strength in Delta State, hold the trump card and PDP cannot afford to alienate them any further as they have made it clear that their bloc votes will go to the party that accords it recognition commensurate with its electoral strength and economic contribution.

If the Urhobos lose the governorship ticket of PDP, especially if the winner is imposed on the basis of zoning as Obuh candidacy suggests, the bloc votes of Urhobos will be lost to President Goodluck Jonathan, needlessly robbing the PDP of the landslide victory that denies APC 25% of the votes in the presidential election in Delta.

The peculiarity of Delta  presents Uduaghan a historic opportunity to lead the state into the elections in 2015 united to deliver their votes to the PDP. There is no doubt that  Jonathan wants that too and will do everything to prevent the imposition of candidate or zone in Delta on the basis of non existing zoning arrangement.

So far only, Omo-Agege, the leading candidate from Delta Central, whom many people have written off because of his past opposition to Uduaghan, seems to understand that strategy rather than sentiment will determine who will emerge the PDP governorship flag bearer in the 2015 election.

Since 2011, this Orogun born son of former Chief Judge of Delta State, who came second behind  Uduaghan in 2006 PDP primaries, has worked tirelessly to earn the trust and confidence of UPU and the Urhobo people.  He is now regarded by the Urhobos as their best hope in their quest to reclaim the governorship position, an enviable position to be at this stage of the race to succeed Uduaghan, given that the Urhobos traditionally vote in bloc with the governorship in mind.

Since joining the governorship race in May, he has also evolved a pan-Delta agenda to create jobs for Deltans which is resonating with the people across the three senatorial districts that make up the state.

However, many observers of Delta politics believe that the only obstacle in Omo-Agege’s way seems to be  Uduaghan, whom they believe may never support him because of their history. But Omo-Agege appears confident that the governor will support him when he said in a statement he issued recently that  Uduaghan and Chief Clark will support him because they will judge him as the best candidate “who can win, not just the governorship election for our party but also whose candidacy can guarantee that APC does not get the 25% of the votes in the presidential election”, a claim hinged on the assumed support of UPU and the Urhobo people who are determined to regain power in the state, after eight years of minority rule in the state.

Omo-Agege has also publicly declared to protect Uduaghan’s legacy by completing all projects which Uduaghan could not complete before handing over in 2015.

There is no doubt that Omo-Agege has done enough to deserve the PDP ticket.  Uduaghan  will carve his name in gold in the annals of political office succession in Nigeria if he can muster the political will and courage to allow a man who once opposed him fiercely to emerge as his successor rather than imposing a candidate  who will significantly weaken PDP in Delta.