2019: Ogboru Hope Rises As APC Over Rule Kachikwu, Ochei, Ojuogboh,Others On Zoning
Chief Great Ogboru
LAGOS MARCH 13TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Delta State All Progressives Congress, (APC) State Working Committee has dismissed decision of Delta North and South chapter of the party to zone the 2019 governorship to Delta North Senatorial District.
The party’s SEC also declared that no other organ of the party shall henceforth express any contrary positions on the issue of 2019 governorship ticket of the party.
Delta North leaders of the party comprises of Minister for State Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, former Speaker, Rt Hon Victor Ochei, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, top state officials of the party from Delta North among others, had fortnight ago taken the decision to zone the governorship ticket to the Senatorial district at the home of Kachikwu.
It would be recalled that Delta South APC leaders had last weekend backed their counterparts in Delta North to zone the ticket to North, thus shutting out Delta Central strong man of the party, Chief Great Ogboru and others who also want to contest for the ticket in the forthcoming guber primaries.
A communiqué issued at the end of the closed door meeting hosted by Kachikwu, in his Onicha-Ugbo home, Aniocha North Local Government Area, the Delta North leaders of the party had urged all eligible governorship aspirants from Delta North Senatorial District to indicate interest so that their candidature can be marketed to the two other senatorial district in the State.
The communiqué which was signed by Delta North Caucus of the party, Engr. Chief Hyacinth Enuha, and read to newsmen by Mr. Iwedi Nwaha, said; “From the inception of the Third Republic, the Central and Southern Senatorial Districts of Delta State have successfully completed two gubernatorial terms and as a result, the right of the Delta North Senatorial District to complete its second term, under the banner of the APC is only equitable.
“APC is solidly on ground in Delta North Senatorial District and has the capacity to win the 2019 gubernatorial election with the support of the other Senatorial Districts.
The Delta North leaders had hinged their decision to back only Anioma candidate on the reported ‘gentlemanly’ zoning agreement between the three senatorial district of the state which purportedly ‘zoned’ the governorship position in 1999, starting with Chief James Ibori of Delta Central.
According to them, it is only equitable for the Senatorial District to complete its two gubernatorial terms since other Districts have done theirs through PDP Candidates but they insisted to support only APC candidate who can be use to replace Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, an Anioma PDP incumbent governor.
Similarly, the decision by Delta South leaders was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of an enlarged meeting held on Sunday 4th March, 2018 and was attended by Senatorial Exco members, LGA Chairmen, Leaders and Stakeholders from the South district.
The meeting which was convened by the Delta South Senatorial Chairman, Yemi Omaghomi, agreed to support Delta North governorship candidate, but on the condition that such a candidate will only do one term in line with extant power rotation in the state and to allow the zone complete its eight year tenure.
But State Working Committee of the party in a counter statement after its meeting, declared that the party has no intention of zoning its gubernatorial ticket to any Senatorial District, noting that no elective position in the state will be zoned.
This was contained in statement signed by its state publicity secretary Engr. Leonard Obibi.
The statement read in part; “We shall continue to position the party in a state of readiness that enables free, fair and credible primaries, with an assurance that there shall be no imposition of candidates under any circumstances that will exclude fair participation of any party member with legitimate rights to engage in or contest for any elective office.
“State Working Committee also resolves at the meeting held on Thursday, 8th March 2018, that no other organ of the party shall henceforth express any contrary positions.
“we urge all party members to support the no zoning directive to ensure that every eligible contestant is free to participate in the party’s primaries.
“We assure all party members and leaders that we remain committed to the progress of our party in a manner that will ensure victory in the forthcoming 2019 general elections”.
Grand conspiracy against Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru over his 2019 governorship ambition. The people general don’t need a prophet to tell him this. This is cleverly orchestrated by Ibori, Uduaghan and Okowa PDP led and with the collusion of some APC sold out members like Olorugun Tega Emerhor. The only thing the trio (Ibori, Uduaghan and Okowa) will want to hear is that APC denied Chief Ogboru their governorship ticket. They knew already if by chance Great Ogboru becomes the Governor there will be a lots of shoe droppings of how they used projects as Independent Power Plants (IPP) Ogharafe, Asaba international Airport to mention but a few to siphoned Delta State money. What APC Delta South Senatorial district leadership led by Yomi Omaghomi are now doing by rooting for APC Delta North gubernatorial candidate is a ruse. Tactically, they are acting out the scripts for Ibori, Uduaghan and Okowa PDP led to stop Great Ogboru, the only one they dread so much and believed can end their twenty years of rein of terror. You know how dangerous species are the Delta PDP, they can do anything to hold on to power and believed Delta State money control by PDP is currently exchanging hands between PDP and APC Delta South leadership, even also with APC Delta Central leadership just to shut off Ogboru. After X-raying Delta State APC and the avarice nature of some members, I my humble self came to this conclusion that Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru must now quit the APC to join any party that will give him their governorship ticket. I don’t want him to entangle himself with pre- election legal battles after being denied APC ticket. 2019 Elections will not be decided base on party affiliation but by contestants on popularity. Card Readers only and no Incident Foam will allowed and we will see how Ibori, Uduaghan and Okowa and corrupt INEC will allot vote numbers to PDP. No amount of pacification from APC National or State must stop Chief Ogboru from contesting 2019 Delta Governorship race even let President Buhari be involved, Ogboru must contest. If Great Ogboru will be a spoiler to APC let it be.
For Olorugun Tega Emerhor, what goes around must surely come around. Why that strong animosity against Great Ogboru. In 2015 election when he contested as APC flag bearer no issue arising for zoning, after talking Ogboru and other to jump ship from their parties to APC so as to form a united front to wrest power from PDP come 2019 election zoning is his message now. He knew Ogboru has contested Delta State governorship election since 2003. I believed three Delta APC Chieftains, Chief Dafe Ogheneovo, Johnson Afejuku and Diokpa Jeol Ugbaja Vanguard March 26 publication where they called on APC National leadership intervene in the crises rocking the state chapter if the party plan to win the 2019 governorship election in the state and the alleged agreement Emerhor had with Gov. Okowa that after his second tenure in 2023, PDP will support Emerhor to win the primaries and the governorship election in any party he prefers. We are waiting for him 2023 and we will see if Evwreni his home town can deliver Delta central votes for him. A vote for Chief Great Ogboru is a vote for Delta State emancipation.