•Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, Emergor hail DSP’s emergence
With the emergence of Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborewori, as standard bearers of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) respectively, the stage is set for another titanic governorship battle with veteran old warhorse, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, in Delta State Ogboru is being speculated to join the contest on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in what promises to be an all-Urhobo affair.
Until the emergence of APC as the main opposition political party in Delta, Ogboru had always been the major arrowhead of the fight against PDP in the state. He has contested all the governorship elections in the state since 2003, flying different parties’ flags including the APC’s in 2019.
Oborevwori picked the PDP governorship ticket with ease, beating others including Deputy Governor Kingsley Burutu Otuaro.
At the election held, on Thursday, 25th May 2022, at the Steven Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Sheriff polled 590 votes of the 821 valid delegates ballots cast, leaving his closest rival David Edevbie in a distant second with 113 votes. Serving Senator representing Delta South Senatorial District, Senator James Manager came third with 83 votes.
Senator Omo-Agege, emerged as the APC torch bearer after he was returned unopposed at the party’s governorship primaries held at Federal College of Education, Technical, Asaba, after polling 1190 votes. A total of 1350 delegates were expected to take part in the election.
However, only 1235 were accredited, with 1191 casting their votes. One of the votes was voided leaving the total number of valid votes at 1190.
Omo-Agege in an interview shortly after his declaration, welcomed the candidate of the PDP into the contest, saying:
“I don’t care about who has emerged in the opposition. He is much welcomed into the arena. There is no structure outside Deltans and what Deltans want.”
He said the 2023 election is about the liberation of Deltans, stressing that the APC was in a hurry to get to work and deliver the people from long years of suffering under the PDP.
He added: “We are very confident because we have taken our time to go on the best recruitment drive to pick the very best that will deliver the best in addition to our grassroots commanders who will lead this charge to uproot the failed PDP administration in Delta State.”
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For the first time since 2007, all the major political parties in the state will be fielding candidates from not just the central senatorial district but also the same ethnic nationality (Urhobo) for the governorship contest: Ovie Omo-Agege, Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area, (APC); Oborewori, Osubi, Okpe Local Government Area (PDP) and Ogboru, Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area (APGA).
With the likely third force still officially being awaited, the stage is now set for who eventually becomes the next governor of the state.
Reacting to the emergence of Omo-Agege, APC’s frontline consensus aspirant for Delta South Senatorial District, Hon. Joel Onowakpo Thomas, expressed optimism that the party was now poised for victory at all levels in the 2023 general elections.
Thomas is set to clinch the Delta South senatorial election ticket in Warri on Saturday. Also speaking, a leader of the APC in Delta, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said for the first time the party was prepared to win elections in the state.
He said: “we thank God for a day like this because Delta State have been waiting for this day. For this first time I can say we are now ready to face PDP in Delta State. If you remember, I took up this mantle in 2015. I have been a governorship candidate of the APC so I know when we are ready.
“This time around we are overrunning Delta State. We are rescuing Delta State. The primaries process went through the guidelines that have been prescribed by our party and the electoral act and we are ready.”
Governorship candidates
Abia: Prof. Uche Ikonne (PDP), Ikechi Emenike (APC)
Adamawa: Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (PDP), Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani (APC)
Borno: Mohammed Jajari (PDP), Gov. Babagana Zulum (APC)
Bauchi: Ibrahim Kassim (PDP), Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar RTD (APC)
Delta: Sherrif Oborevwori (PDP), Senator Ovie Omo – Age (APC)
Enugu: Peter Mbah (PDP), Uche Nnaji (APC)
Gombe: Ibrahim Barde (PDP), Gov. Inuwa Yahaya (APC)
Jigawa: Mustapha Lamido (PDP), Umar Namadi (APC)
Kaduna: Isa Ashiru (PDP), Senator Uba Dani (APC)
Kano: Mohammed Sani Abacha (PDP), Nasiru Idris (APC)
Lagos: Olajide Adediran (PDP), Gov. Babajide Sanwo- Olu (APC)
Nasarawa: Hon. David Ombugadu (PDP), Gov. Abdullahi Sule (APC)
Ogun: Ladi Adebutu (PDP), Gov. Dapo Abiodun (APC)
Rivers: Fubara Siminialayi (PDP), Tonye Cole (APC)
Taraba: Kefas Agbu (PDP), Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (APC)
Niger: Isah Kantigi (PDP), Hon. Mohammed Bago (APC)
Kwara: Yahman Abdullah (PDP), Gov. Abdulrshman Abdulrazaq (APC)
Yobe: Sheriff Abdullahi (PDP), Gov. Mai Mala Buni (APC)
Akwa Ibom: Umo Eno (PDP), Akanimo Udofia (APC)
Katsina: Yakubu LADO (PDP), Dikko Umar Radda (APC)
Kebbi: Aminu Muhammed Bande (PDP), Nasiru Idris (APC)
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