BY EMMA AMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTH-SOUTH & AUSTIN OGWUDA

IN the last few days, the shape of the government of soft-spoken Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan as Governor of oil-loaded Delta State, in the next four years, as well as personalities expected to play chief roles in the policies and actions of his administration, are beginning to come to light.  Visibly, Governor Uduaghan is in-charge of the political engine he inherited from his predecessor, Chief James Ibori in 2007, but it is a known fact that it is not all the power brokers in the Ibori era that called the shots in Uduaghan’s first tenure, and in his second tenure, it is understandable that new power dealers will emerge.

Macaulay, SSG
One of the unquestionably powerful men in the state at the moment is the former Commissioner for Energy, Comrade Ovuozourie Samuel Macaulay, who is now the Secretary to the State Government, SSG. For anybody who knows the inner working of the Uduaghan government, Macaulay, who is from the Isoko axis of the state, is a right-hand man of the governor.

His journalism profession and stint as labour leader ( he was a one-time chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Delta State), had prepared him for his present challenges. He was first spotted by Ibori, who appointed him Commissioner for Inter-Ethnic Relations and Conflict Resolution.

He managed the Warri crisis in particular in those troublesome years for the government and his uncommon capacity for excellence is what propelled Uduaghan to make him Commissioner for Energy.  What you cannot take away from Macaulay are his organizational ability, discipline and focus in the face of daunting challenges. He is one man the governor can afford to leave matters of state with and go to bed with the confidence that he would not fail him.

Macaulay believes in Uduaghan as his principal and is ready to make any sacrifices for him, and that is why he was appointed as SSG. Even with the likes of the former deputy premier of the defunct Midwest region, Chief James Otobo, Senator Francis Okpozo, former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Young Igbrude and others around, he has practically become the most powerful politician in the state from Isoko land with his recent appointment.

Utuama, Deputy Governor
You cannot wish away the clout of the Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama, SAN, in the present political configuration in the Delta State. He has been deputy governor, one of the longest serving in the country. He started with Ibori in his second tenure in 2003 and Uduaghan in his first tenure, that is a total of eight years, and is going for another four years, barring any odds.

Insiders say the humility and intelligence of the professor of law and his capacity to accept what comes to him, knowing that he is only a second-in-command; have helped him to stay much longer than any other deputy governor in power. As deputy governor, he has his assigned roles from the governor and his opinions are more often than not sought on critical matters affecting the state by the governor.

He is not a bench warmer in the administration of the state and he oversees the State Tenders Board, chieftaincy affairs, and International Export Processing Zone Committee, Osubi International Runway project committee, among others.  He also presides over the meetings of the ruling party, PDP, in his Delta Senatorial District.

Hon Ochei, Speaker
Hon Victor Ochei, who, until few days ago, would be described as the member representing the Aniocha North Constituency in the state has been an anonymous power merchant, but with his recent election as the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, he cannot hide anymore because he is no longer an ordinary member of the House, but the number three citizen of the state. The Speaker is highly connected in the state and is respected for his principled stand on issues and above all, he is a team player.

Chief Paulinus Akpeki, DG, Campaign Council
Popularly known as Ugo, his Sapele chieftaincy title,  meaning Eagle,  the former Commissioner for Orientation and Communication was was more of a politician on sabbatical until the November 9, 2010  annulment of the Uduaghan’s election by the Court of Appeal, Benin City, when the then Acting Governor, Hon Sam Obi appointed him into the state cabinet.

Within the short span, he proved his mettle beyond disbelief, and on return after his victory in the re-run governorship elections in January,  the governor  appointed him as the  Director-General of the PDP  Campaign Council, Delta State for the April general elections.

Akpeki spent not just his time but resources to battle for Uduaghan’s victory and the party in the last election and having observed his tenacity of purpose, the governor had come to recognise him as a dependable partner. He is, indubitably, one of the trustworthy power brokers in the state and the governor is expected to saddle him with vital responsibilities in the coming months.

Amori, Senior Political Adviser
Under normal circumstances, one would ask what the national leader of the powerful Urhobo Political Forum, UPF, former Commissioner for Education, Delta Central Senatorial candidate of the PDP in the last National Assembly elections and the man who was touted as the strongest politician in the state in the Ibori regime, Chief Ighoyota Amori, is doing as a senior political adviser to Governor Uduaghan. The question is basic as Amori was once seen as the political leader of the incumbent Senator Pius Ewherido, who defeated him in the elections and a host of others in Delta Central.

Therefore, the job of a political adviser is not seen as a big deal. But Amori is a political strategist and it is believed that with his appointment, he would be able to guide Uduaghan on how best the PDP can reclaim its lost glory in his senatorial district, which is the weakest link of the party, presently, in the state. As a senior political adviser, Amori, will certainly play more than a passing role in the governance of the state.

Nwaoboshi, PDP chairman
Delta State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi is certainly a factor in the PDP government. But his importance in the new dispensation will largely depend on whether he retains his position as chairman of the party. He is a perceptive personality, fearless and independent minded.

Recently, when a list of ministerial nominees from the state was made public, he came out boldly to say that he was not consulted by the governor, even though Uduaghan insisted he made wide consultations with people, including Nwaoboshi.

Senators Okowa, Manager, Obarisi Omo-Agege Dr. Okubor, Hon Igbrude and Chief Obielum
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, representing Delta North Senatorial District, is one of those decidedly tipped to emerge as the next governor of the state in 2015 and being a very close friend of the governor, he is a  key player in his government,  even if his immediate power pedestal is the National Assembly.

He resigned as SSG, under the Uduaghan government  to contest for Senate and is known to have influenced some of the actions of the government during his tenure as SSG. Both he and Uduaghan were commissioners under Ibori.
Senator James Manager is a close political associate of Governor Uduaghan and any time, any day, he has the governor’s attention on matters affecting the state.

Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, the man who took over as SSG from Uduaghan and governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Delta State in the last governorship elections would not have been regarded as a power broker in Uduaghan’s government but for his nomination by the governor as a potential minister from the state. He was lobbied to join forces with the DPP gubernatorial candidate, Chief Great Ogboru to oust Uduaghan, but he rejected the offer made to him.

Dr. Festus Okubor, a former Commissioner for Information under the Ibori government is the new Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba. He holds a powerful position and is a clearing house of sorts to the governor, who appointed him based on his competence and pedigree.

Hon Young Igbrude, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly went on a voyage in the political camp of the former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark before he jettisoned the group recently. He has the governor’s ears.

Chief Godswill Obielum, a retired police commissioner and former governorship aspirant in the state is another politician, whose counsel is not likely to be dampened by the governor.

Hon Funkekeme, Hon Igbakpa, Hon Dombraye, Chief Nwaka, Dr. Otumara

Hon Solomon Funkekeme was one of the most influential personalities in the Uduaghan government until the recent appointment of another insider, Comrade Macualay as SSG. Though, the governor had upbraided him for stretching his assumed power too far, Funkekeme is still a factor giving his long association with Uduaghan.

Hon Benson Roland Igbakpa holds forth for Uduaghan in Ethiope West Local Government Area, the country home of Chief Ibori, while Hon Reginald Dombraye is a storm trooper in the Ijaw axis.

Chief Tony Nwaka, former Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state, is leveraging on the adage that a child who washes his hands well, will dine with the king. Nwaka performed well in the assignments he was given by Ibori and Uduaghan believes he is an asset. For the former Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, he and the governor are members of the same profession and Uduaghan knows why he listens to him.

Prof Ijomah, Major General Orho Esio Obada (rtd), Brigadier-Gen Dominic Oneya (rtd)
The list erudite scholar, Prof Benedict Ijomah, a member of the defunct Supreme Military Council, SMC, Major General Orho Obada (rtd) and former chairman of the Nigerian Football Association, NFA, is not exhaustive of elders that could shape the Uduaghan government, but Prof Ijomah has emerged as a central political think-tank lately.

Mrs. Uduaghan, First Lady
The last but not the least among the power brokers is Governor Uduaghan’s wife, Mrs. Sheila Roli Uduaghan.  Even before Emmanuel Uduaghan joined politics, his wife was already a politician and so, coupled with the natural power and scent of a woman, she is advantageously positioned to sway certain decisions. And that she had done in the past four years.

Indeed, female political aspirants know that her nod is essential for appointments by her husband and in Uduaghan’s first tenure; some commissioners calculatively sought to be in her good books to be relevant in the system. But, there is something that most people don’t know about Roli and that is that she is like a spiritual pillar to her husband, always standing the gap in prayers with her team of prayer warriors and ensuring that the governor does not neglect his obligations to God. In fact, if there is any area Uduaghan can categorically tell anybody that his wife has affected him the most, it is his spiritual life.