LATE DEP. GOV ELUE; GENTLEMANLY TEAM PLAYER, UNLIKE IFEANYI OKOWA, BY TONY ELUEMUNOR

There is much lesson to be learnt from the rich tributes poured on Diokpa Sir Benjamin Sunday Chukwuenweniwe Elue, the former Deputy Governor of Delta State (1999–2007), who died on Saturday, February 28, 2026 and was laid to rest on April 17, 2026 at Obior, his home town in Delta state.

Anybody who read the tributes to this man who held
the chieftaincy title of Alum of Obior, must have noted the praises
ladled out abundantly in honour of Elue’s loyalty when he was
Deputy-Governor. Perhaps, the only person of note who refused to
recollect this aspect of that dearly departed was the immediate past
Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. He said of Elue:

Today, I joined family, friends, and well-wishers to celebrate the
life and pay final respects to a remarkable elder statesman, Diokpa
(Sir) Benjamin Sunday Chukwuenweniwe Elue.

“We have indeed lost a great son of Anioma, a father to many, and a
seasoned politician. Pa Alum was meek, kind, humble, and deeply
caring, qualities that endeared him to all who knew him. He was a
mentor to many of us, especially in our early years in politics, and
remained deeply committed to the growth and development of his
community.

His life was defined by honour, wisdom, and selfless service, and as
we remember him, I am reminded that the greatest legacy we can leave
behind is the impact we make in the lives of others.

On behalf of my family, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family,
the good people of Aniocha North, and Delta State at large. May God
grant his soul eternal rest, and may his legacy continue to inspire
generations.

Goodbye, our great mentor.”

It is not surprising that Okowa did not attach much weight to the late
Chief Alum of Obior’s track record of unfailing loyalty to the person
who was Governor of Delta state when Elue served as Deputy-Governor to
Chief James Onanefe Ibori. This is because Okowa himself was a
Commissioner in that same
administration in which Elue was Deputy-Governor and Okowa became one of Ibori’s most virulent opposition devotees, an “arch-
opposer” really. That a politician does not see eye to eye with a man
in whose administration he served as Commissioner should not
ordinarily raise red flags, but Okowa himself, while praying for Elue,
said, “ May God grant his soul eternal rest, and may his legacy
continue to inspire generations”.

If Okowa had left out issues of Elue’s legacy, the need for this write
would not have arisen. I would have just written in praise of Chief
Elue because there is much to praise in his life. Most tributes and
news reports I read never mentioned that Chief Elue’s beginnings were
couched in serious monetary hardship. Yet, he overcame the
deprivations occasioned by monetary lack to actually go to school and
later became an educationist and a school principal. This man whose
childhood witnessed chronic deprivation rose to become a
Deputy-Governor. His story, based on that foundation alone, tells of
the Nigerian dream; that a man could raise himself by the strings of
his inadequate boots.

Yet, when we consider the fragile peace which had enveloped Delta
state politics because of the rotational and non-divisive politics
Ibori had championed when he was leaving office, remaining true to his
vision of power rotation, and how Okowa shattered that peace, we will appreciate the tragedy Okowa unleashed on Delta state. The state had been spared the acrimony that
had engulfed most other states in Nigeria. The cause of such
acrimonies had two unmistakable faces; unruly and despotic
godfatherism and disloyalty of Deputy-Governors…but not any longer.

It is to the late Elue’s credit that he resisted the temptation that
came his way from Abuja to entice him to attempt to side with Abuja’s
evil plots during Olusegun Obasanjo’s central administration to
demonise Ibori. When the enticement had no effect on Elue, Ibori’s
Deputy-Governor, Abuja tried the stick approach; and Elue was accused
of gun-related issues. I was in Yola, the Adamawa state capital to
report on the trouble that had mounted against then Vice-President
Atiku Abubakar’s chief supporter in that state, the then Governor Boni
Haruna, when Chief Elue’s Chief of Staff, Chief Emma Ejiofor, phoned
me that there was trouble; that the Deputy-Governor was under the
accusation that some illicit guns were discovered in a car that was in
his entourage. I had to leave Adamawa’s capital, Yola, immediately for
Abuja in answer to that call.

Now, that attack against the man’s good name was improvised to get him
to turn an enemy to his Governor and be first in line to step into
Ibori’s office, if he fell from power. First, Ibori had been accused
of being an ex-convict sentenced by a Bwari Upper Area Court in 1995
because of “zinc asbestos” (which does not exist in the entire
universe as there is either corrugated zinc roofing sheet or asbestos
roofing sheet). Ibori’s workers were alleged to have stolen the
roofing sheets during the construction of the Lower Usuma Dam, which
supplies Abuja with portable water, today, so the forged Certified
True Copy of that judgment had it that Ibori was sentenced for
“criminal negligence” and not stealing.

Now, why do I call that CTC a forgery? By 1995 the dam in question had
been completed for almost 11 years and it started supplying water to
Abuja by 1987. By 1995 the company that built the dam, Spibat, had
actually left Nigeria. These facts can be verified at the Abuja Water
Board headquarters. The Engineer in charge when water flowed from the
dam into Abuja for the first time, Engr Anton, gave me the facts.
Yet, Abuja, during Obasanjo’s administration, wanted to make such
stupid allegations stick against Ibori and many newspapers and
magazines joined in hollering that nasty accusation.

When that attempt to use that stupid ex-convict allegation to stop
Ibori failed, plans were floated to get Ibori arrested overseas so
that he would receive the treatment that was later visited on the
Bayelsa state Governor, DSP Alamieyeseigha. Two or threevof such attempts were
planned against Ibori when he was to visit Germany and China. He got
wind of the plots and remained home. As he didn’t go to China to firm up the Asaba Airport construction project, it lay on the table and Ibori’s successor, Dr. Emma Uduaghan had to construct the Airport. Yes, Alamieseigha was actually warned
that Abuja had plotted his arrest, but the man said in a newspaper interview that he didn’t believe that
the President of Nigeria in 2005 could be so nefarious. He travelled and was
arrested.

So, the late Elue refused to play the devil’s game against Ibori. He
remained ever faithful and helped maintain the peace that pervaded
Delta state, until former Gov. Okowa killed that peace – when he moved
against Ibori and opened the pandora’s box against Delta state. The
result was that first, he shattered the peace that had held PDP
together in the state. Many left the PDP solely because of him. After that, he moved into the APC and shattered the
peace there, too. His Senatorial District had usually found
truce by avoiding acrimonious intra-party elections, but now, Okowa is
making that one history as he is war-faring against the incumbent
Senator, Chief Ned Nwoko, though his own daughter is an incumbent
legislator. His wife may even contest to become a member of the House
of Representatives and another child of his could become a Local Government Chairman – to prove his almighty powers.

Actually, the late Elue’s real legacy in Delta state is that of
loyalty. Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, “described
the late elder statesman as a loyal patriot, seasoned administrator and
committed party man whose contributions to the growth and stability of
Delta State would remain indelible in the annals of its history”. He
added in a condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir
Festus Ahon: “During his time in office, he was known for his
humility, dedication to duty and unwavering loyalty to the
administration he served”. Again: “Chief Benjamin Elue was a man of
honour and integrity who served our dear state with passion and
loyalty. His invaluable service to Delta and its citizens will remain
evergreen,” the Governor added.

Former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege detailed this legacy
out: “Chief Elue laid the template on how deputies should conduct
their affairs in order to engender an atmosphere of stability and
trust in the executive branch. He completely cued into the
developmental agenda of his principal, Chief James Ibori. He earned
the respect and honour of political and administrative leadership in
Delta State. I can attest that Chief Elue was a principal factor in
the success of that administration. It is a testament I am in a good
position to give, having worked closely with him and the governor as
Commissioner and later Secretary to the State Government (SSG) during
their tenure.

“Unfortunately, Chief Elue’s template was not adopted by latter day
deputy governors who end up having fractious relationships with their
principals. It is the prime reason actual governance is relegated in
some states while the struggle for dominance defines some
administrations.

“Chief Elue has bequeathed a legacy of humility, trust, dedication and
camaraderie between deputy governors and their principals. He was an
elder statesman whose virtues and companionship will be sorely
missed”, Omo-Agege stated in a statement signed by Sunny Areh, his
spokesman.

Those thinking that I am being hard on Okowa may not know that it was
because of Ibori’s intervention that the President Goodluck Jonathan
DPD loyalists did not snatch the governorship baton from Ibori’s group
which favoured Okowa. The then PDP National Chairman visited the
former Minister, Elder Godswill Orube in his Abuja home and told him
openly that PDP was leaving Delta for Ibori. Orube acquiesced and
swallowed his governorship ambition because he was actually the one
who led the delegation Jonathan sent to London to discuss with Ibori.
Also, the late Delta state Commissioner, Dan Okenyi, led the
delegation the Anioma Traditional rulers sent to Ibori, in London, to
ask for his support for Okowa’s candidacy. Ibori gave his word and
kept it. On the day of the PDP convention text messages spread that
Ibori, from prison, had asked that Okowa be voted for. And that was
what happened. But some imbeciles now claim that Ibori didn’t support
Okowa… though Ibori carried Okowa on his back and ran the race for
him.

Talking about loyalty, when Okowa paid a condolence visit to Okenyi’s
and late Senator Peter Nwaobishi’s widows, I wondered if that man only
waits for death before showing his love. If you doubt me, ask Okowa when
last he visited Nwaoboshi or Okenyi. I sincerely hope he was in good
relations with Chief Elue on this side of heaven.