Delta Gov: Controversy Trails Report on Ogboru Stepping Down for Emerhor
LAGOS APRIL 7TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The reports making the rounds in the social media over Delta State Labour Party Governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru stepping down for Delta State APC Governorship candidate, Chief O’tega Emerhor is dug in controversy as Chief Great Ogboru was reported to have denied stepping down for Emerhor.
Information purportedly posted on a social media website has revealed that Ogboru has finally stepped down for the APC governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor (OON), as a result of the intervention by some powerful Urhobo Elders.
The statement alleged to have emanated from O’tega Emerhor Governorship Campaign office disclosed that the UPU had earlier set up a high power committee to persuade Ogboru to let go his personally interest for the general interest of the Urhobo Nation in particular and Delta State in general.
It further explained that Ogboru today at about 3:45PM decided to step down for Olorogun Otega in the spirit of Easter, adding that there has been wild jubilation across Delta State especially in Delta Central over this wonderful political landmark achieved by the Urhobo ethnic nationality.
According to the publication, by this arrangement Ogboru has agreed to decamp to the APC within the next couple of days, stressing that Ogboru and Emerhor would address a joint press conference to point the way forward and to urge the LP party faithful and Ogboru supporters to cast their votes for the APC and Emerhor during April 11 gubernatorial elections in the state.
Two hours after the publication on internet, Chief Great Ogboru, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Delta State has debunked claims contained in the press statement which claimed that he (Ogboru) has agreed to step down for their candidate.
Ogboru in reaction to the O’rtega statement described Emerhor as an “Extremely irresponsible politician who is unfit to be Governor of any state in Nigeria.”
A visibly angry Chief Ogboru ruled out stepping down for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, who he said cannot win even 20% of the total votes cast in the Delta governorship election even if he has the support of the current political structure in the nation and state behind him.
“I cannot step down for a man who can’t score 10% of the votes that I can muscle in an election,” he said.
“I also have no intention of joining the APC where the only credible person there is General Muhammadu Buhari.
“Let the people of Delta State determine who they want to govern them. O’rtega is not on ground anywhere in the state. He will not get 20% of the votes even if the entire state government structure is put behind him.
“He is irresponsible and unfit to be a governor to have authorized that statement. The man who just goes to the public to say I have endorsed him. He is a liar. I will not endorse anyone. NEVER! Ortega is extremely irresponsible,” Ogboru added.
Ogboru also dismissed talks that he has been negotiating with the committee set by the UPU to unite the candidates describing the committee as inexistent and a mere propaganda being peddled by O’rtega.
Attempt to get Ogboru on telephone were futile as he refused to picks or return sms messages.
Emerhor and his cabal are all jokers, their catcall for Chief Ogboru to stepdown in media are casuistry, campy and charade just mislead the Delta not to vote for the people general. Omene UPU led endorsement of Great Ogboru was not tied to the outcome of presidential elections, so Emerhor and his group must not use that as a parameter to be Urhobo consensus candidate for April 11,Governorship election. History has proven that opposition governors performed way better than ruling party governors. A case studies are Bola Tinubu, Oshiomole etc. Any choice other than Chief Great Ogboru is suicidal and will not be acceptable.No Ogboru no Urhobo consensus candidate. If Olorugun Emerhor refused to stepdown for Great Ogboru, let him try the water. Mark my word, at the end it’s going to be two horse race between Ogboru and Okowa and Ogboru will emerge the winner.
This most unfortunate for the UPU and the Urhobo nation for her two illustrious sons to malign themselves publicly. The purported use of gutter snips by Chief Great Ogboru is uncalled for.
UPU as a body has failed in its responsibility towards the urhobo nation,i therefore call on all sons and daugthers of urhoboland to call for outright disbandment and prosciption of this failed body and start afresh in brokering a truce among the contenders.
Danny, the issue is more than your undying love for Chief Ogboru. It has to do with the destiny of the whole Urhobo nation and delta state for the next 4 years with the consequences for years to come. I do not want to believe that Chief Ogboru made the statements in this article. If he made the statement, then it is most unfortunate and shows why we must never vote for him. The statement is very arrogant and presupposes that we as Urhobos cannot exercise any independent sense to change our minds and vote for someone other than him if our best interest as a people dictates otherwise. It also shows that Ogboru considers himself as the only relevant politician in Urhoboland. When people see themselves like that it means they will never listen to the voice of the people when they get into power. Ogboru must remember that he has run for the post 4 times and failed every time. Even uduaghan, he could not defeat. I was at the Supreme Court case, where Uduaghan beat Ogboru silly. Despite good advise, Ogboru chose the wrong legal team and lost a case he could have won easily. At the end, he disgraced himself in the Supreme Court with his adviser Turner advising lawyers to fight a foolish battle and the court awarded millions in costs against him and his lawyer. Urhobo people showed goodwill in voting for him over the years but that does not make him the master of our destiny. Instead of Ogboru, I will take my chances with Okowa, that is if Ogboru cannot be honest in his heart (that is if he has any) to see that the best way to secure the future of Urhobo is to step down for his own younger brother who is very close to the leadership of the in-coming government. Does he think he is bigger than the whole of Urhobo? Even GMB, having failed three times had to change strategy and enter into a coalition with Tinubu, who stepped down and today, they are reaping the rewards and the Hausas and Yoruba’s are back in control. Ogboru is not bringing any new strategy. He is in a mushroom party again. A party that did not win any vote in the 28th March election, a party without structure. The best thing for Urhobo is to be firmly aligned with the new ruling party, APC, so that we can regain our lost national glory we had with NPN when Urhobo people were respected nationally. Ogboru, even if he wins, cannot do this because he is in the wrong party. He claimed he is aligned with GEJ but GEJ has been defeated and is no more. So, what is Ogboru waiting for? Why not step down just like Tinubu did and today, he is a Godfather a very major force in Nigerian politics with national influence even more than Awo had in his time. Madness, is doing the same thing over and over again without change and expecting a different result/outcome. So let Ogboru tell us what he is doing differently this time. I only hope that he is not standing because third parties have paid him to destroy the chances of Urhobo by selling us for twelve pieces of silver because, we have many judases of Urhoboland, aka Prof. Oyovbaire, Amore, Magege etc. in the final analysis, the best interest of Urhobo must prevail over small minded and selfish and self centred interest. This is Nigeria, winner takes all and those who are in the opposition will get nothing, so Ogboru, why not be the statesman you claim to be and attain greatness just like Tinubu has done? Don’t forget that you have a disturbing history and those who would remain opposed to your emergence as a governor or otherwise are plenty in view of the coup. Remember Ogboru, remember. Remember also all those politicians you abandoned in the DPP to whom you provided no leadership after you lost your election to uduaghan, who had to decamp to APC, put away your pride and humble yourself to attain greatness. Enough said.
URHOBOS will regret thier failure to forge a unified entity ,an average urhobo man sees himself as a demigod,so proud and full of himself,arogant and selfish,and most likely a semi literate.This features are the problem bedevilling the urhobo nation and in turn causing division amongst us,viz a viz ogboru and otega.
Well, if our leaders and people cannot fight for their best collective interest na dem sabi. Hunger go catch them and dem children. Me, I don for Oyinbo land first deh vex for the matter and upu’s monumental failure of the whole Urhobo nation. Shame on them.