2019: Deltans Beware Of Self Serving Counsel From Clark – APC Chieftain

An APC chieftain in Delta state, High Chief Ighofose Okijirhie has urged Deltans to disregard what he described as “self serving counsel” from South South leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark concerning the 2019 governorship election in the state.

BigPen Online recalls that the foremost Ijaw leader, Clark had said the All Progressives Congress, APC,  governorship candidate in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, was wasting his time in the governorship race.

Clark maintained that Ogboru’s desire to unseat the incumbent, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa would not materialise because of the power rotation pattern in the state.

According to the former Federal Information Commissioner, Governor Okowa would remain in office till 2023 because of the power rotation pattern in the state.

He argued that Delta North Senatorial District have to complete its two terms of eight years by 2023 before power would shift again to Delta Central where Ogboru hails from.

However, Ighofose Okijirhie in his response to Clark’s assertions in an article made available to BigPen Online on Sunday, said it was hypocrisy for Clark to canvass for power rotation and same time insist on James Manager, an Ijaw who has remained in the red chamber for 16 years running.

Ighofose said that if truly Clark believe in zoning, he should also counsel his son, Senator James Manager of PDP to abandon his ambition for aspirants from either Isoko or Itsekiri ethnic nationalities in the 2019 election.

He said that Clark ought to be very objective and rise above petty partisanship in the rare class, age has put him in society rather he has consistently chosen to do otherwise in his posturings.

The article read:  “Saint” Clark demonstrably revealed to all by his indifference to arguments of zoning in the Delta south senatorial primary of PDP that zoning is only a conspiracy theory that is available in the play book of PDP that they could latch onto on account of the unblemished record and intimidating good will of Great Ogboru who they acknowledge their under dog candidate cannot match.

There is no other way to rationalize Clark’s defiant silence on the argument of zoning by Itsekiri and or Isoko nationalities that an Ijaw man having occuppied the senate seat for four consecutive terms, equity dictate that it should be voluntarily surrendered to either Itsekiri or Isoko.

“Saint EK Clark” and those he is in cahoot with highlighted the importance of the choice of the delegates in their preference for senator Manager who is securing the ticket for the fifth time.

On that ocassion, Clark and his men labelled those who were bandying zoning as lazy and incompetent people.

An argument that is very rational and plausible that Deltans expect Clark and his deceptive band of followers to extend to the gubernatorial race in the state.

But in the world of Clark , what matters is his narrow interest as illustrated by his rational posturing that zoning is not a factor in choosing the PDP candidate in the senatorial race in defiance of the clamour by Isoko, Itsekiri and Urhobo neighbours who wanted to have a shot at the Delta south senatorial seat on the strength of a non existing agreement on zoning.

So Is that hypocrisy or what!.

That is the strange statesmanship which people like Clark are notorious for.

If any party which fielded candidate for the election in violation of zoning of PDP is wasting time according to Clark,  it follows that senator Manager who Clark is investing his time and energy on is also wasting his time.

Chief Clark know very well that zoning does not exist even in PDP as an entity much more the larger political space of Delta where several parties are at liberty to fashion out their winning formula.

The truth of the matter is that in Delta State , majority of the electorate have decided to place competence and vision above unproductive zoning sentiments.

If sentiments of tribal loyalty were as important as performance and competence, Nigerians will not be migrating in droves to Europe and America to enjoy the benefit of good governance by people they owe no tribal allegiance to in rejection of the misgovernance of their kinsmen whose only dream is to keep them in perpetual slavery . What else are you looking for that there is nothing in tribal sentiments!

Deltans beware of self serving counsel from the likes of E K Clark who do not wish society good. The lessons of their bad policy which denied Warri and other cities of realising their destiny as hubs  of technical education in the 70s should not be lost on Deltans.

But for the ill conceived policy, many of the adversely affected cities would have been internationally recognized centres of production/manufacturing in the fields of electronic and auto engineering by now

For the inconsequetial minority who value little handouts from incompetent governors, I on behalf of the overwhelming majority of Deltans, say it loud and clear that Deltans value good governance above every other consideration.

Therefore,  we shall give our verdict in 2019 by voting for Great Ogboru as the governor of Delta State to give lie to the conspiracy theory of zoning once and for all”.