2019: Why No One Should Be Surprised If Okowa Wins Or Loses

Going by the political happenings, if Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State wins or loses the 2019 governorship election in Delta State, no-one should be surprised after all it is a contest where a winner or loser must emerge.

However, he may ‘win’ only with some conditions including if he lobbies hard and appeals to the conscience of the electorate and stakeholders in the three senatorial districts of the state.

But one factor that can make him win is what this piece would dwell more on. The crisis in the All Progressive Congress (APC), the leading opposition party in Delta State may be Okowa’s ‘winning stroke’.

There are over 28 other registered political parties in the state. Some are People’s Democratic Party (PDP) inclined, others are merely floated during election year for “trading and settlements”.

The body of the opposition party itself, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) is in leadership crisis over that development. APC eventually is the only platform that can be used to challenge a ruling party in a complex state like Delta State.

However, the party since inception of the present administration have been a shattered house. The infighting within it may outlive this administration because the acrimony may not end neither would the stakeholders likely reconcile their differences before the elections.

But that’s the only political party that wants to unseat an incumbent Governor. When Okowa came to power, the party had no structure. They were taunted for having no base, no structure and no bigwigs but they had kept the change mantra alive – “Take over, “Take over”, “APC rescue Delta”. “APC change Okowa”. All this rantings appear like a huge joke to the PDP administration.

But within this period, APC in Delta become a ‘force’ to reckon with but remain a scattered house of the main opposition gladiators that have deliberately refused to unite. A party that has bigwigs that all want to lead and govern the state at once. APC is the only party that the gladiators are however more into personal business than real party politics. Their activities are not a reflection of what opposition party ought to be. They are more interested in their personal ambitions to the detriment of the party.

The party appears lifeless and have been an ineffective opposition in the face of official malfeasance in the state. Hardly do you see a reaction from them on state issues that they ought to react about. The court of public opinion is even tougher on Okowa than APC that need to play its opposition role.

A party where the leaders are at each others’ jugular is the party that wants to unseat an incumbent. All the skirmishes are centered around three individuals. It is either Emerhor Vs Omo-Agege or Omo-Agege Vs Emerhor or Ogboru Vs Emerhor in a battle of wit. They fight over their future ambitions leaving hundreds of their supporters tearing themselves to shreds. The youths are the willing tools and they attack anyone for morsel and to massage the ego of their pay master, thus creating so much acrimony around the party political machinery.

Unfortunately this ego tripping among the leaders is what will rob them of their chances. Their fights for their selfish interests may be a death knell to the party. Those who seek elective positions under the party’s platform are the ones suffering and wasting their hard-earned money on a people who just brainwash others to feather their nests.

The latest crisis bedeviling them is the controversy over indirect or direct primaries. While Emerhor and his camp is rooting for Direct Primaries, Omo-Agege and Ogboru want indirect primaries. This new dimension to the ego fight may jeopardize the party’s chances if they even have one. APC crises started right from day one of the PDP government led by Okowa. It is widely rumoured that the party is highly infiltrated by moles who are working for their selfish interest and that of the PDP.  In fact, reports however say the governor had leveraged on the situation to unsettle them even when he’s grossly being criticized in the court of public opinion over some failed projects in the state.

But they are now trying to wake up from their long slumber because a new sheriff just joined them. The fact is that, a party that just received a former governor into its fold must fare well, isn’t it? Such a party should be able to wrest power. So why should anybody be angry that someone says APC would wrestle power from the PDP in 2019. Are they not in the business of wrestling power? Is APC an arm of the PDP in Delta State that they should sit like lame dock and watch PDP retain power?.

Is there anywhere, were a government could be so perfect in terms of delivery of projects that a whole lot of the people would feel so relaxed and nudge them to continue? Election is a  contest, whether you are performing credibly well or not, there must be an opponent contesting against you, otherwise it is no longer an election.

Anyone who wants a free ride, a free ticket and want to climb on peoples’ shoulder to power is a lazy politician. If you cannot put your house in order, play your game very well, failure awaits you. It is nobody’s making. Former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan overlooked a major gang up against him and it crashed him out. So if Delta APC overlooks their infighting, saying that it wouldn’t affect their popular “candidate” and their quest to win, let an Okowa that is desperate to retain his seat catch on it. If APC thinks parading the big names is enough to take them to Government House Asaba, let them continue their “roforofo” fight and let Okowa win again. Maybe, next time they would learn how to be a united opposition party.

ALSO READ: Show Down Looms In Delta, As Uduaghan, Former PDP Actors Gang Up Against Okowa

In the news, we read countless reports where they call Okowa a very clannish and bigoted fellow. They said he is vindictive. But who is not vindictive among them?. From the PDP to APC fellows, they are all vindictive and bigots. If these human tendencies could cause the incumbent Governor to lose his second term and he is not aware, then let APC produce a replacement that’s free from these and stop banking on campaign of calumny.

After all both main political parties lack party ideology to be frank to selves. Because they lack ideology their campaign is often not issue based, they attack personalities instead of policies. Uduaghan was also attacked vociferously in his first term of office for “doing nothing”, but he soldiered on and tried to clear his name with a second term of office. All the big legacies that are in the news today about Uduaghan’s administration were earned in the second term. Okowa has also trod same path that may make or mar his rulership in the next general elections.

If Okowa would lose the next election, it is his own making not the doing of Uduaghan that left them to redefine his political future. If he wins his deeds have spoken for him. But both PDP and APC must be prepared for the shocker. An imminent gang up is coming in both side, it is either in favour of Okowa or it favours an APC candidate.

When the chips are down however there would be realignment, and horse trading that would shape the election but the battle would be fierce because it would be a case of “my church is bigger than yours”. In the media they would dance naked and media men would feast on them with screaming headlines. 2019 would be interesting. They postulated it. Uduaghan said that on national TV.

Written by Obus Erarawewho