How DUG’s Crossing To APC Reconfigured Politics And Political Leadership In Ika Federal Constituency

By Nwankwo Chidimma

The Saturday April 12, 2025, defection of members of Delta State-based political pressure group, the Delta Unity Group (DUG), in their large numbers to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which attracted the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Umar Ganduje, Edo Governor, Monday Okpebholo and a host of party bigwigs, including the immediate past Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu representing Ethiope Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on NDDC, APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka, Chairman of the Governing Board of the NDDC, Hon. Chiedu Ebie, among others, has ultimately birthed new political leadership in the Ika Federal constituency, Delta state; reconfigured politics there and awakened new but intense political consciousness among the constituents.

While the historic event held at former Bendel Hotel field, Agbor, which saw members of the popular political group in Ika Federal Constituency, move en masse to the APC have come and gone, the dust raised is not ready to settle anytime soon. The lessons and message inherent in the presence of the mammoth crowd whom were presented with the broom, the symbol of the party, has certainly been internalised. The memory of the epoch rally will linger for a long time.

Beginning with Hon. Ebie, Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) who doubles also as the Co-Convener of DUG, one indelible lesson drawn is that the NDDC boss, judging by the sea of heads that thronged the venue of the defection rally, has again demonstrated clearly that ordinary calculation can be upturned by extraordinary personalities. From the mammoth crowd Ebie attracted to APC, the age-long aphorism of whether circumstance or personality shapes events is finally settled in favour of the latter.

Given current conversations amongst the people of Ikaland it is evident that a new political leader has emerged in Ika Federal Constituency in the person of Mr. Ebie.

Says an Agbor based Public Affairs analyst, Ifencho Okobi: “Kingdoms rise, and kingdoms fall. As it stands today, particularly looking at the number of followership polled to the old Bendel Hotel, coupled with unflinching acceptance that cuts across religion, sex, age and creed, Chiedu Ebie has emerged the authentic political leader of Ika Federal Constituency. There is no more argument”.

To another commentator and DUG stakeholder, the ongoing political developments in Ika Federal Constituency should not surprise any student of history as oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever.

According to him, “the yearning for freedom has eventually manifested itself. Just as the Bible tells the thrilling story of how Moses stood in Pharaoh’s court centuries ago and cried ‘Let my people go’, Chiedu Ebie has come for the political emancipation of Ika people”

Quoting Martin Luther King Jr, he further said: ‘’There comes a time when people get tired of being trampled by oppression. There comes a time when people get tired of being plunged into the abyss of exploitation and nagging injustice. When millions of people have been cheated for centuries, restitution is a costly process’’

Indeed, a thorough, unbiased analysis of the above comment, will spot, without labour, a nexus with the position of another resident of Ika Federal Constituency, precisely from Ika North-East Local Government Area, who stated thus: ‘’We served one divisive and selfish emperor who made himself Lord of PDP not only in Ika Federal Constituency but in Delta state as a whole. When we finished serving him, he wanted us to also serve his daughter.

‘’He was treacherous in all his actions. He told us that there was a great dichotomy between Owa in Ika North East, and Agbor in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta whereas before his arrival in politics, we have lived as one united and indivisible Ika nation. What this self acclaimed Messiah of Owa Kingdom in particular and Ika North East LGA in general could not do for us, his so-called brothers and sisters, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, a reformer, technocrat and a man from Ika South is effortlessly doing for us. We say enough is enough. We are out of slavery’

As political developments continue to unfold in Ika Federal Constituency in particular, and Delta state in general, one thing that stands Ebie out from Mercantile politicians and political Buccaneers masquerading as leaders, is his life of integrity and simplicity, shunning the selfishness that has in the past marred much of public offices. Mr. Chiedu, going by commentaries, is Chairing the Board of the Commission with the consciousness that as a leader, he is being watched closely, that people are noting his every move, that his followers are learning a great deal about him and what he really believes in as opposed to what he says.