By Paul Oghene

Ahead of 2015, the race to Government House, Asaba, Delta State has taken a new  dimension as the Urhobo from Delta Central insist on being the next occupant when Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan leaves office.

This is however contrary to the struggle for power shift to Delta North.

The Urhobo are said to be working towards producing the next governor from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or any other party..

There has been agitation by Delta North for power shift in 2015 because people there claim they have not occupied the Government House since the creation  of Delta from Bendel State.

Other zones fault the claim on the grounds that the three senatorial districts had always contested for the governorship position in the past. Therefore, they maintain that other senatorial districts in the state have the right to contest for the exalted position this time around,

It is a fact that Anioma (Delta North) has always contested for the  governorship from the time of Prof. Eric Opia under the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) when he ran against Chief Felix Ibru of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

It would be recalled also that Chief James Ibori, an Urhobo, contested against many  people from Anioma in 1999 like the late Joshua Enueme who he later appointed commissioner in his cabinet and, in 2007, there were well over 11 gubernatorial contenders from Delta North.

Delta North politicians have maintained that Delta Central has held power twice with Ibru’s one year ten months and Ibori’s two terms of eight years in office, while the South has had the taste of power through Uduaghan for eight years.

There is no doubt that Delta North has credible people who have indicated  interest in the 2015 governorship election. The list include Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Ochei; a retired police officer, Chief Godswill Obielum; Chief (Mrs) Ngozi Olejeme; Hon Sam Obi, who was acting governor of  the state; the Chief of Staff to the incumbent governor, Chief Festus Okubor; a member of the House of Representatives; Hon Ndidi Elumelu; Chief Slvester Monye; Hon. Charles Emetulu; Chief Otive Igbuzo; Chief Peter Okocha; and Gabriel Oyibode.

Political observers in the state believe the problem Delta North may have in producing a governorship candidate in the PDP is the long list of aspirants and the inability to pick a candidate that will be acceptable to everyone.

In Delta South where the incumbent governor comes from, the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, Tosan Arthur Priest, a Lagos based businessman and a few others have declared their intention to contest for the plum job, while in Delta Central there are indications that the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, Chief Kenneth Gbagi and Chief Ovie Omo-Agege are on the list of aspirants, though speculations are rife that a popular Urhobo politician of Okpe stock is likely to join the race

The governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party DPP, Chief Great Ogboru, in the last election is believed to be interested in contesting again under the platform of the Labour Party.

It was learnt that the Urhobo through the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, have vowed to return to Government House in 2015 and they are looking for a sellable, vibrant and courageous candidate to field.

In a recent publication, UPU affirmed the decision of the Urhobo to present a governorship candidate in 2015 as consultations with stakeholders had begun.

The Urhobo are believed to have decided to present one of their own on the platform of the PDP or any other party.

They are working on the premise that if the PDP picks its candidate from Delta North, then they  will have no choice than to present an Urhobo candidate  on the platform of  APC.