In continuation of WARRI TODAY’s review of the 2019 general elections in Delta State, we are pleased to reel out EIGHT reasons, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the forthcoming governorship election, Chief Great Ogboru, will defeat his PDP rival, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the poll. This medium remains apolitical and welcome your views.
ONE: FEDERAL MIGHT
Many people believe Ogboru won all previous governorships he contested against PDP but was rigged out by incumbents using federal might of then ruling PDP Federal Government (FG).
This time around, many expect he would get victory, have same federal might of the APC- led FG on his side against Okowa who is said to be jittery already, knowing what federal might could cost him. No doubt, Delta State APC will rely major on federal arsenals to conquered PDP at the polls.
TWO: CULT HERO STATUS
Ogboru has been a crowd puller any day since running elections in Delta State. Even his opponents wouldn’t deny this fact. But how he caught that image of being easily loved by the masses remains mystery to many knowing he rarely talks or makes public showings.
Such is the hype of his cult hero status that even a private radio station once made a high risk declaration of Ogboru winners in one of the previous elections based on public expectation before INEC countered with its official results.
This time around, he is even expected to have even more fanatical support from his familiar “Okoda & Keke’ admirers constituency who in the past have expressed readiness to lay down their lives to ensure Ogboru win. This is one of the reasons, he was picked as candidate of the party ahead of former speaker Victor Ochei and Prof Pat Utomi.
THREE: ETHNIC CONNECTION
Ogboru is known to have a bloodline or genealogy cutting across multiple ethnic groups in Delta, including being paternally Urhobo and maternally Anioma with also rumoured affinity with Itsekiris while his wife is said to be Ijaw. These connections are likely to work to his favour this time around. He is described as a pan Delta for this reason.
FOUR: UDUAGHAN FACTOR
Believe it or not, the defection of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan from the PDP to the APC would play a key factor in the opposition’s quest to take over Delta from the hegemonic PDP’s stronghold in the past two decades.
Having been a power broker integral to the perceived past rigging out of Ogboru, Uduaghan is expected to expose Okowa and PDP winning tricks to Ogboru’s advantage and turn the heat against Okowa.
Owing to the manner the ex-governor was pushed out of the APC by Okowa, Uduaghan, sure has a point to make in this election. This election, no doubt, will define his political future. From all indications, the former governor will throw all his hats into the poll to send the right message to Okowa.
FIVE: OSHIOMHOLE’S POUND OF FLESH
Recall that former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, vowed to take his pound of flesh against Okowa whom along with Rivers Nyesom Wike, he accused of allegedly meddling in the last Edo governorship with humongous cash support to the state’s PDP in desperation to displace the APC hegemony in Edo with Oshiomhole as party leader.
As APC National Chairman, banking on Ogboru’s robust popularity, Oshiomhole recently sounded the direct threat to Okowa that the time to take his pound of flesh has come and that APC would do it takes to remove Okowa. That’s one big booster that will work in favour of Ogboru.
SIX: ELECTORATES ASPHYXIATED WITH PDP
Truth be told, Deltans are tired, had it with the choking PDP hegemony which continues to enrich a few and impoverish the majority for the past two decades.
To many, any alternative would do long as the PDP is sacked from power in Delta, the best and most outstanding alternative being an Ogboru ticket.
SEVEN: DELTA CENTRAL NUMBERS
Forget the miracle votes from the waterways, Delta Central remains a key factor for deciding who carries the day over elections as majority district. In spite of the theatrics of PDP campaigns, Ogboru has always gained the edge in his immediate home district. He’s likely to get more this time around.
EIGHT: ELECTORAL REFORMS
Though much is still expected, INEC’s gradual fine tuning of the voting process against rigging will make past clandestine mass thumb printing of fake ballots less attractive and defensible and less admissible in court.
The more only genuine votes are made to count and schemers or riggers restricted to vote buying to win more votes, the odds favour Ogboru more than Okowa.
*WARRI TODAY will be happy to receive your feedbacks and suggestions. Also coming, are the eight reasons Uduaghan will humiliate Senator James Manager.
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While I thank this medium for the assessment it is important that the zoning arrangement in Delta does not favour an Ogboru’s candidacy at this time. Again Okowa is known for keeping to his promises. All his electoral promises have been fulfilled hence the people trust him more and that will ensure he is reelected.