•DSP unshaken, intensifies onslaught 

•I’ll fight from within- Olorogun Edevbie

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

THE gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Rt. Hon Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori and his All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, seem embroiled in a crushing power game over the 2023 governorship.

Oborevwori, the longest-serving Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Omo-Agege, Deputy Senate President, DSP, of Nigeria’s Senate are both of the Urhobo stock in the Delta Central senatorial district.

From his antecedents in his current party, Omo-Agege, a former chieftain of PDP, not only knows how to categorize political opponents; he is proficient in overwhelming competitors 

DSP bent on thinning out the flock

Having appraised Oborevwori as his key 2023 opponent; pinpointed his friend, governor, and vice-presidential candidate of PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, as Oborevwori’s backbone that he must break down, DSP came up with a long-term plan to thump the shepherd, disperse the sheep, and isolate the leader from the flock.

Since he deployed this strategy, firing salvos at Okowa, Oborevwori and anything PDP, Omo-Agege has left no one in doubt about his preparedness.

One APC leader that is also very adept in this strategy is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. He and Omo-Agege understand the art of unleashing verbal missiles on political opponents.

PDP has felt the impact of his targeted onslaughts on Okowa and Oborevwori, designed to break up the sheep, in the last few weeks.

Cases in point: ”We must take back our dear state from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who with his cohorts, have held our state hostage. After over seven years of Okowa, one thing we all agree is that there is a huge gap between the fund Delta state received, generated, and borrowed even recklessly…”

“And now, he wants to hand over to his stooge, Speaker, Sheriff Francis Oborevwori whose House, which he heads, approved every kobo that was wasted and stolen to protect himself from accountability.

“For the years of Sheriff’s speakership, the Delta State House of Assembly has been a rubber stamp, giving everything Okowa asks for without effective oversight, undermining the entire idea of the Separation of Powers enshrined in our Constitution, as well as weakening our democracy.

“Are we ready for another four years of that nonsense, another four years of plundering and stealing, another four years of drift? None of us here, today want to see more of the past very terrible years of Okowa-Oborevwori tyranny, we want our state back. The gross misuse and total waste of scarce resources have cost Delta state so much and this must stop.”

Oborevwori strikes back

 However, Oborevwori has been circumspect in responding to the vitriolic attacks on his person by Omo-Agege for some time because he has an aversion to the politics of attacking people, instead of issues. He speaks less than necessary, the reason people think he does not speak, but for the first time, Oborevwori came out of his shell at the launching of the Delta State PDP Campaign Council, penultimate Thursday.

He thundered: “The other day, I listened to the brash and unguarded utterances of the APC governorship candidate in Delta State. I wish to remind Deltans that all well-meaning Nigerians agree that the current Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, of which Omo-Agege is the Deputy President, is the worst in the history of Nigeria.”

 ”Courtesy of this toothless, docile, and rubber stamp Senate, Nigeria’s external debt portfolio currently stands at $40 billion as of the second quarter of this year. With hyperinflation, naira free fall, escalating food prices, widespread poverty, the dilapidated state of federal roads, labour discontent, and general insecurity, let Omo-Agege tell Deltans what they used these monies for.

“Lest we forget, Omo-Agege’s tenure as Secretary to the Delta State Government was characterized by parochialism, greed, abuse of power, and undemocratic tendencies. The records are there for anybody who cares to check.

“Let me stop here for now, but Deltans do not need a despot like Omo-Agege, but a liberal, broad-minded, and selfless leader like me who stands for equity and fairness.

On his performance, he said: “Permit me to comment on my stewardship as the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. I am very proud of the job the sixth and seventh Assemblies have done in working with the executive to implement its policies and programmes. There are some misguided people, who think that the relationship between the Legislature and the Executive must be adversarial – How mistaking”.

“The idea of checks and balances was not for the legislature to become a clog in the wheel of progress but to ensure mutual respect and cooperation in handling governance issues. That you sometimes disagree does not mean you have to be disagreeable. Through dialogue, you can iron out your differences in a mature and civilized manner in order to move the ship of state forward.

“This is what the House has done under my stewardship and the evidence of the positive impacts of the government’s policies and programmes abound everywhere in the state.

Regarding Okowa’s performance, he uttered “Those of us who live in Asaba know what it used to be like living here pre-2015. Thanks to the Asaba Storm Water Drainage, we can now sleep with both eyes closed when it rains. The Prof. Chike Edozien Central Secretariat Complex stands tall above the noise and cynicism of naysayers, mischief makers, and armchair critics.”

“Roads and bridges of strategic importance have been, and continue to be constructed across the length and breadth of Delta State. Testimonies abound of our youths who are now successful business owners and employers of labour, following their empowerment through the administration’s multiple entrepreneurship development programmes. I can go on and on but we have what it takes to convince our people that PDP remains their best option,” he stated.

Bid to isolate leaders 

Omo-Agege could not distance Okowa from the PDP flock as designed, but he has caused a stir, plucking some PDP leaders, including a former governorship aspirant, Hon Efe Ofobruku and Chief Andy Asowota, in recent weeks, to the APC, with his crusade.

However, the movement is not one-sided, as top APC members, including a former state chairman, Cyril Ogodo and publicity secretary, Sylvester Imonina also switched over to the PDP in the state.

Many construed the absence of two former governors of the state, Chief James Ibori and Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and other leaders at the launching of PDP’s 2023 Campaign Council at Asaba as a sign that they were still at war with Okowa over his support for Oborevwori.

Senator James Manager and others have stayed away from major party activities since the last governorship primaries, not necessarily, because Omo-Agege’s tactics paid off, but because he is angry with his friend, Okowa. 

Omo-Agege would have loved to see Ibori, Uduaghan, Olorogun David Edevbie, Manager and others dump Okowa to work for his victory. Still, Edevbie, who returned to the state since he lost at the Supreme Court to Oborevwori, last Friday, told his supporters that he would remain in PDP and fight within.

Edevbie’s stand of remaining in PDP and fighting within explains the predicament of Ibori and Uduaghan, who many know all along, will not exit the party, despite the resentment that has made it hard for them to come to terms with Okowa

What goes for Sheriff

What has kept Oborewori going in the power game, which started before his emergence as the party’s candidate, is his adroitness in masking his intention, which distracted people until Okowa located him.

Difficult to comprehend, but Okowa did not, initially, set out with Oborevwori as his successor; but somehow, when the time came, he could not resist the pull.

The seemingly stylish manner he materialized as the standard-bearer amazed many, who know Oborevwori as the underdog in the PDP governorship scramble, but the Speaker is keeping away his real success secrets from Omo-Agege in the power game.  Across the state, people are working for his election as governor, but how he does it, stands out even with bad publicity, and refused to outdo his master, Okowa, are all part of his strategies.

Possible reevaluation

Perhaps, Omo-Agege, the most potent individual political force in the Delta Central senatorial district, now, besides Ibori, may have another look at his strategy to isolate Okowa to disperse an unrepentant PDP flock with his offensives, as Oborevwori has risen to the challenge.

It looks improbable, as sparing the governor and the PDP candidate of the rough edge of his tongue is not in DSP’s contemplation just now.

A few days ago, he boasted he would cut short the vice presidential ambition of Okowa, who he accused of plotting a third-term agenda through Oborevwori. Since he broke proceedings on Omo-Agege, penultimate Thursday, Deltans are waiting for Oborevwori’s next line of action.