By John Efetcha
The year 2015 is a little far away, but politically, it is around the corner. So it is understandable that advertorials and opinions on Delta State governorship in 2015 have been appearing in the newspapers, notably, the Vanguard for some time now. The one prompting this response appeared on Wednesday, August 8, 2012, page 51, under the above title.
That the Anioma people of Delta State who occupy Delta North Senatorial District want to produce the next governor of Delta state is quite understandable and legitimate. It is the only senatorial zone in Delta yet to produce an executive governor even with its glut of highly qualified sons and daughters who bestride every aspect of our national life.
In achieving their objectives, however, facts, some of which arevery recent,should not be twisted. Since Delta State was created in 1991, no civilian governor has emerged through zoning. The first civilian governor, Chief Felix Ibru of the defunct Social Democratic Party fought a titanic battle to defeat Prof. Eric Opia of Delta North stock and flagbearer of the National Republican Convention.
The second civilian governor, Chief James Ibori, also contested against opponents from the three senatorial zones to become governor. Ibori's emergence was not to compensate the Urhobos because the tenure of Chief Ibruwas truncatedby the military coup of 1993, as alleged in the advertorial.
If it were so, Chief Ibru, who also contested the primaries, would have emerged the governorship candidate. As I recall, Ibori emerged through political crookedness, laced with savvy, brute force and cunning. A very naïve and cowardly opposition both within and outside PDP accelerated his victory.
Fast forward to 2007, at no time did the PDP sit down to zone the governorship to Delta South. The PDP governorship primary in Oghashikwu in 2006 was contested by candidates from all the three senatorial districts. The behind-the-scene happening, according to Chief E. K. Clark (in a Vanguard interview and nobody has come out to dispute it) was that on the morning of the primary, Ibori invited the leading contestants (Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator Pius Ewherido and Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege)and in the presence of Chief Ighoyota Amori told them to step down for Uduaghan.
I cannot remember if Clark said that the other aspirants agreed, but I doubt because they all contested the primaries where Ibori through intimidation and financial inducement ensured Uduaghan came tops followed by Okowa, Omo-Agege and Ewherido.
Other candidates like Oscar Ibru, Otega Emerhor, Ejaife Odebala, Albert Okumagba, Fidelis Odita and Godswill Obielum( Obielum organised a parallel primary elsewhere which he won) got inconsequential votes. There was supposed to be run-off between Uduaghan and Okowa, but Okowa waived his right and was subsequently rewarded with Secretary to the Delta State Government.
Why Ibori threw his weight behind Uduaghan is known to him only, but my overwhelming feeling is that it had nothing to do with zoning. He simply wanted to keep it within the family(Remember Ibori and Uduaghan are first cousins).
The Anioma Agenda Group is pursuing a legitimate cause, but their tactics appear to me to be flawed. I advise them to borrow from the late Steven Covey so that before they start scrambling up the ladder of 2015Delta governorship, they should ensure that the ladder is leaning on the right wall. I do not think it is right now.
One, to appeal to other senatorial districts to allow Anioma produce the next governor in a multi-ethnic state like Delta and multi-party democracy like ours appear to me to be politically naïve. From antecedents, it is apparent that 2015 will throw up many governorship aspirants from all the ethnic groups. I foresee at least 50 aspirants initially and the number will probably come down to 15 who will contest the governorship elections, although not more than three will be serious contenders.
Right now, I am aware that about two politicians from Delta South ( Uduaghan's zone) are oiling their political machines for the 2015 governorship. Anioma Agenda might feel that Delta South has had its turn in Uduaghan, but the Ijaws and Isokos (the two other groups within Delta South) might feel differently. Also, another Itsekiri person who feels he has the best credentials to govern might want to come out. Can anybody stop him?
Let us move to Delta Central where the Urhobos, the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, hold sway. How have they fared under Uduaghan? Are they happy? Are they satisfied with the turn of events since 2007? The Urhobos have always had the largest number of governorship aspirants; will it be different in 2015? Or will they agree across party lines to collectively shelve their ambition for an Anioma candidate? Then throw in the Ogboru factor.
Since 2003, Chief Great Ogboru has always contested every governorship election. He believes he won all of them (except 2007 where he claimed there was no election) but was rigged out. Will he abandon his ambition in 2015 for an Anioma candidate?
The second flaw in the advertorial is the assumption that PDP will win the 2015 governorship election in Delta State. Are Deltans satisfied with the performance of the PDP governments since 1999? Did PDP really win all these elections or they rigged as the opposition is alleging? I have a feeling that there will be about three formidable political parties in Delta in 2015 and the election will be hotly contested. Rigging will also be checkmated.
There is nothing on ground right now to show that the PDP will win the 2015 governorship election if it is free and fair. So Anioma Agenda,be wary, because just as 2015 is politically around the corner,so also is tomorrow a long time in politics. That is partly why politics is a game of intrigues, contradictions and ironies.
Finally I do have problems with zoning because of the incompetent and clueless leaders it has foisted on Nigerians at the local, state and national levels. Moreover, zoning has not fostered unity and equity as the protagonists envisaged. Nigeria has not seen the kind of ethnic divisions we are seeing now in a very long time.
Also, nobody has been able to tell us what the ordinary Nigerian has benefitted from zoning. Only the ruling class does, so why should a system that benefits only a very few elite be encouraged? What Delta needs at this point is a visionary and transformational governor with an enormous courage to swim against the tide for the sake of the majority.
We need a governor whose achievements are obvious to the people, not read about in newspapers only; we need a governor whose accomplishments will tally with resources available to him. When this governor comes, his ethnic origin will be secondary because the impact of his government will be seen and felt across Delta State.
If this governor coincidentally happens to come from Anioma, that will be wonderful. Then, we would know that we voted him in not because of his ethnicity, but his abilities. This is my own case (and I hope that of most Deltans) of equity in Delta 2015.
•Mr Efetcha, a political analyst, wrote from Lagos
