Delta 2023: Intrigues, Plots, Battle For Okowa’s Job

The battlefield appears to have opened for an intriguing array of aspirants jostling to take over the governorship seat from Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State in 2023.

The battle ahead might be titanic with the incumbent, Okowa, no longer on the ballot and the unlikelihood that anyone from his Anioma nation (Delta North senatorial district) can succeed him.

As such, a galaxy of political bigwigs mostly from Delta Central with a handful from Delta South have emerged on the consultation scene.

Majority of those who have indicated interests for the plum job are from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege being touted as the likely candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) barring any unforeseen circumstances.

However, the APC still holds prospects of a regular aspirant, Great Ogboru, joining the fray, a development that could lead to a fierce primary election in the opposition party.

On the PDP list are James Augoye, the immediate past Commissioner for Work; Kenneth Gbagi, one-time Minister of State (Education); David Edevbie, two-time Commissioner for Finance and immediate Chief of Staff to Governor Okowa; and Abel Esievo, retired Auditor General, Local Government, Delta State and former National Chairman of Nigeria Auditor Generals.

Others are the current Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori; former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo; current Chief of Staff to Okowa, Festus Agas; current deputy governor, Kingsley Otuaro; and current senator representing Delta South, James Manager.

James Augoye

He is said to be the ‘Star Boy’ of the Okowa-led administration from 2015 to May, 2021 when he was affected by an unexpected dissolution of the cabinet. He didn’t make it back to the state executive council having declared his intention to succeed his boss. Augoye, a former local government chairman for Okpe in Delta central, had the privilege to superintend the Ministry of Works for six years during which period he was in charge of infrastructure delivery particularly in the road sub-sector. His reign in the ministry witnessed impressive delivery of road network across the state that earned Okowa the sobriquet of ‘Road Master’. He thus built a reputation of an achiever which he is leveraging on to win broad support across the various senatorial zones. However, Augoye’s emergence on the scene ruffled feathers when viewed from the background that his political godfather, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, and Father of Government in the Okowa dispensation, is an arch-rival of former governor James Ibori who is reputed as the undisputed godfather of Delta politics. Nevertheless, Augoye’s country home in Warri has become a political Mecca of sort with people of diverse trades trooping in to urge him on, on ground that his loyalty to the incumbent governor is impeccable and unflinching. Augoye hails from Ugbokodo in Okpe axis of Delta central. The axis is more favoured than other areas in the senatorial district if the PDP decides to micro zone the governorship seat.

Sheriff Oborevwori

Like Augoye, Sheriff Oborevwori hails from Osubi in Okpe Local Government Area. The Okpe axis of Delta Central has never produced a governor since the state was created as against Ughelli axis which produced the first executive governor, late Felix Ibru whose tenure was unfortunately truncated by a military take over. The other axis, Ethiope produced James Ibori who reigned as governor from 1999 to 2007. But the micro zoning argument has not been raised in any quarter since the pulsating race started. Nevertheless, Oborevwori who is the current Speaker of the state House of Assembly believes that he has what it takes to ensure victory for the PDP if given the ticket. Said to be an errand boy to power brokers in the early days of the present democratic dispensation, Oborevwori has risen through the ranks to become a political force in the scheme of things. Since emerging as Speaker in 2017 following the impeachment of Monday Igbuya, Oborevwori is believed to have piloted the affairs of the House to eliminate the usual frictions between the legislature and the executive. While some observers see him as a joker, a significant number of others feel that he should be taken seriously as the number three citizen of the state. A lot believe that Oborevwori is dancing to the drumbeat of some power blocs who might resort to him as plan ‘B’ should the preferred candidate fail to resonate.

Kenneth Gbagi

The former Minister of Education is a foremost aspirant in the race, having formally declared his intention to govern the state on the platform of PDP where he is also a foundation member. An accomplished entrepreneur reputed as the biggest employer of labour in the state, Gbagi has sustained his campaign in the past two years during which some aspirants are still afraid to openly join the race but waiting for the green light from institutional power blocs. Gbagi, a criminologist, lawyer and security expert, is now a formidable force to reckon with. He is seen more as an independent minded politician who is not easily swayed. The frontline aspirant who hails from Oginibo in Ughelli South Local Government Area has built a grassroots support base such that he cannot be ignored as the race to Government House in 2023 hots up. Though not a firm believer of the Urhobo lobby group, DC-23, Gbagi was among the five aspirants cleared by the group to remain in the race to succeed Okowa. His declaration has created a division in the camp of former governor James Ibori. Following this development, the former governor is said to be under pressure to reconsider his earlier resolve to throw his weight behind his old political associate, David Edevbie.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege

At the moment, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege might just be cruising in his quest to clinch the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for a titanic battle against the PDP at the general election. Omo-Agege who hails from Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government of the state, holds the ace within the opposition party in the state. As an opportunist, he has leveraged on his position as DSP and leader of APC in the entire South-South to build friendship even outside his party. But the irreconcilable factional crisis within Delta State chapter of APC might not help his cause as his rivals within the party have vowed to pay him back in his coin for scuttling their governorship ambition in 2019 by allegedly imposing Great Ogboru as the APC candidate. Even Ogboru has since fallen out with Omo-Agege shortly after 2019, and has now teamed up with party chieftains including Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo; a director on the board of NIMASA, Victor Ochei; former director of projects on the interim management committee of the NDDC, Cairo Ojougboh, among others. Nevertheless, Omo-Agege’s supporters are banking on what they said was a possible implosion of the PDP given the various interests in the ruling party in the state ahead of 2023. Besides, the flamboyant politician is believed to have a formidable structure that could cause upset in the 2023 governorship election. The defection of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi from the PDP is also seen as a boost for Omo-Agege who got his tutelage from the Ibori political dynasty.

Emmanuel Aguariavwodo

A former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Aguariavwodo is seen as a large hearted politician. He spent about two years in the Senate from 2013 to 2015 when he was elected to complete the tenure of late Pius Ewherido of Delta Central senatorial district. A staunch ally of former president Goodluck Jonathan, his stint at the Senate further enhanced his relationship with incumbent governor, Dr. Okowa who was at the Red Chamber between 2011 and 2015. Aguariavwodo was among the first appointees Okowa made in 2015 as a Special Adviser, a position he held till May, 2021 when the cabinet was dissolved. His ambition has enjoyed loud campaigns like his co-aspirants, a development that is sending the signal that Aguariavwodo might just be the dark horse in the race. A lot of political appointees in Okowa’s government are working behind the scene to sell Aguariavwodo’s candidature particularly to the Ibori power bloc, as a more acceptable Urhobo candidate especially within the Ijaw ethnic nationality. In fact, a grassroots mobiliser in Ijaw area and an ally of Ibori and Okowa vowed to contest the primary if Aguariavwodo is systematically edge out. Aguariavwodo who hails from Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, is among the big five cleared by DC-23, a political lobby group for Delta Central, to remain in the race.

David Edevbie

David Edevbie hails from Afesere community in Ughelli North Local Government of Delta. He is a close confidant of the former governor James Ibori who is believed to be backing him this time around. Edevbie was Commissioner of Finance during Ibori’s eight years as governor. He almost caused an upset in the December 8, 2014 primary that produced Okowa. Edevbie, a late entrant into that race, came second with 299 delegates votes to Okowa’s 403. Despite that contest, it is believed that Ibori prevailed on Okowa to appoint Edevbie into his cabinet of which the later succumbed in the spirit of reconciliation, and made Edevbie Commissioner of Finance in the first four years. After the 2019 general election, Edevbie became the Chief of Staff. But his ambition is believed to be remotely responsible for the cabinet dissolution in May, 2021. Edevbie who obviously does not enjoy the support of Okowa, has vowed to remain in the race, on the ground that Okowa won his primaries in 2014 without the support of then governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. He believes that he has the clout, capacity, contacts and deep pocket to also pull an upset and possibly defeat Okowa’s anointed aspirant. Meanwhile, Edevbie was also cleared by DC-23 as one of the big five.

Abel Esievo

Unfortunately, Abel Esievo is one of the aspirants that have been disqualified by DC-23 but the retired Auditor General, Local Government in the state and former National Chairman of Nigeria Auditors General, vowed to remain in the contest, insisting that the lobby group lacked the competence to disqualify him. Esievo appears to be the only aspirant of the PDP from Ethiope axis of Delta central as he hails from Ekpan-Ovu, Agbon in Ethiope East LGA. His insistence on remaining in the race for the PDP ticket has introduced a new dimension into the political dynamics of the state which has been dominated by core politicians. Esievo is a successful entrepreneur, a grassroots mobiliser and a seasoned administrator and his 2023 governorship bid is seen by many as a good move which would benefit Deltans. His grooming as a civil servant may have prepared him for the task of governor of the state. His structure, according to close associates, is intact and formidable for a contest of this magnitude.

Ijaw quest for governorship

Despite the array of quality aspirants from Delta Central, the unresolved issue of building a consensus in the zone to produce Okowa’s successor may yet be a factor. While aspirants of Urhobo extraction dominate the field given the expectation that it is their turn to produce the next governor based on the unwritten zoning arrangement of the PDP, along senatorial lines, Ijaw leaders in Delta South strongly believe that they should be given the opportunity this time. The crux of their argument is that zoning is compatible with ethnic sequence as nobody from Ijaw, with a sizeable voting populace that could swing the pendulum, has ruled Delta State. Though the argument has limited sympathy, two prominent Ijaw politicians including the incumbent Deputy Governor, Kingsley Burutu Otuaro and James Manager, a four-term senator, have openly thrown their hats into the ring. Manager, a pioneer PDP chairman in the state, is a political contemporary of Ibori and Okowa, both of whom are seen as the defining factors for the emergence of a successor on PDP’s platform. Ibori and Okowa would not forget in a hurry the role of Ijaw nation in PDP’s victories over the years, and 2023 might just be a pay back time. On a personal level, Manager and Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo were said to have played major roles both in cash and contact for Okowa’s emergence in 2015. Though not privy to any agreement that Okowa would support an Ijaw quest for 2023, investigation revealed that the deputy governorship slot for Ijaw being occupied by Kingsley Otuaro is not enough compensation for their sacrifice. As such, when the cards are laid bare at the critical hour, and Urhobo politicians are unable to close rank and present an acceptable candidate, Ibori might bow to pressure to support his age-long ally and senior member of his political family, possibly from Ijaw extraction.

(This article was originally published by Daily Sun)