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21 Days to Governorship Olls - AC, Others Battle PDP for the Soul of S-South(AllAfrica.com English Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) South South, Yenagoa, Uyo, Benin City and Port Harcourt, Mar 24, 2007 (Vanguard/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --WITH the gubernatorial elections just 21 days away, the battle by the governorship candidates who were given the clean bill of health by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to jostle for the seats on the platform of the assorted political parties has peaked in the South-South geo-political zone. Investigations showed that in the oil and gas-rich zone, where the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in control of the six states of Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Rivers and Cross River, the other parties and their flag bearers are robustly challenging the status quo, while the PDP is doing everything to keep hold of power in a "do or die" stance. There are, however, several factors and powers at play in this convoluted and multi-faceted game for supremacy in the states but in all, the PDP, from the indices on ground, is most likely to win again in majority of the South-South states. The only state that is too close to call in the region is Edo state, where the former national chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who is contesting for the governorship seat on the platform of the Action Congress (AC) is giving the PDP the combat of its life. For the presidential race, PDP is having a good run with the Governors Umaru Yar'Adua/ Goodluck Jonathan ticket despite the fact that Reverend Chris Okotie, Prof Pat Utomi, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana and Chief Sonny Okogwu, the presidential candidates of the Fresh Democratic Party, ADC, National Conscience Party and RPN hail from the region. Saturday Vanguard in this report takes a look at events in the zone and gives you a first-hand account of what the gubernatorial aspirants have up their sleeves, the likely winners, their crown opponents, their backers and more. DELTA STATE In Delta state, 12 gubernatorial candidates on the platform of 12 political parties are in the race for Government House, Asaba. They are Felix Azoro (RPN), Great Ogboru (DPP), Okeya Edwin (NMDP), Igbini Emmanuel (PRP), Taju Isichei (PPA), Micheal Aristotle (ANPP) and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (PDP). Others are Chief Onkpite Ogbe (CPP), Abel Edijala (LP), Johnson Boghuku (MRDD), Chief Ngozi Ogbogo (ADC) and Accord's Peter Vwogaga. Candidly, it was not until 16 days ago, precisely Thursday, March 8 when INEC released the names of the governorship candidates it had cleared for the April 14 poll and their parties that the people got to hear the names of some of the candidates for the first time. That is to say that even with 38 days to the April 14 election, they were not known by the people of the state as people eyeing the number one seat of the state, and if not for the publication of their names by the INEC as cleared candidates, nobody, except their immediate families, friends and few supporters knew them as governorship hopefuls. As it appears, more than half of the contestants are in the race for the sake of it. But Delta is almost like a one-party state and the PDP is that party. Its candidate, Itsekiri-born Dr. Uduaghan from the Delta Central senatorial district is tipped to win the gubernatorial election. Until the preparations for the forthcoming elections started some months ago, the other parties, except the newly-registered ones were practically in coma in the state. They only resuscitated their structures to contest the 2007 general elections. In Delta today, the main oppositions to Dr. Uduaghan's ambition are not more his fellow contestants but the elders, leaders and stakeholders forum of the state, led by Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark with people like Chief Newton Jibuboh, Chief Patrick Bolokor, Senator Fred Brume, Dr. Goodnews Agbi, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and others, some of whom had sworn not to back the PDP torch bearer. However, the group is losing its grasp, as some of the members, including Chief Dennis Etaluku recently disagreed with Clark and others on the uncompromising position of some leaders of the body on the candidacy of Dr. Uduaghan. Among the other candidates in the state, the only one that has the capability of posing a threat to Uduaghan's ascension to power is Chief Ogboru of the DPP. However, the threat is feeble as his party, the DPP is not on ground in the state. Presently, there is a move by the key leaders in the three senatorial districts of the state to identify with Dr. Uduaghan so as not to be on the opposing side when he assumes power. The Christian community is said to be quietly working for him and barely 48 hours after the Delta elders met at Akwukwu-Igbo, the gubernatorial candidate and his men parleyed with a leading member of the elder's group, Prof B.I.C. Ijomah, who was said to be re-appraising his pact with the opposition camp. Also, the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien and Col Paul Okwechime (rtd), former PDP gubernatorial aspirants and Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Pius Ewherido and Chief O'tega Emerhor were also said to be in the same frame of mind, while Olorogun Oscar Ibru has since thrown his weight behind Uduaghan. The support for Uduaghan cuts across the three senatorial districts with the political power brokers working to deliver their areas to him. In the Delta North, the godfather of Ika politics, Chief Humphrey Iwerebo, the deputy governor, Chief Benjamin Elue, former Commissioner for Health and former governorship aspirant, Chief Ifeanyi Okowa, who is currently the director-general of his campaign organization, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, the party's senatorial candidate in Delta North and wife of the national chairman the party, Dr. (Mrs.) Mariam Ali, member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Mercy Almona- Isei, Rear Admiral Mike Onah (rtd.), Brigadier General Fred Chijuka (rtd.) are working for his victory. In the Delta South, one-time presidential aspirant, Chief Abel Ubeku, erstwhile Army Chief, General Alexander Ogomudia (rtd.), General P. Omu (rtd.), Senator Stella Omu, Chief Tom Egbuwoku, Chief Paul Erhirhi, Prof A. Ekoko, Prof Pius Sada, the Otota of Igbide, Chief Dennis Etaluku, Senator James Manager, Chief Wellington Okirika, Chief Jonathan Ari, former state chairman of PDP, Chief Pius Sinebe, R. B. Guanah, High Chief Jimmy Taylor, Chief Yebu, Chiefs J. Popo, Oritsejafor, Irone, John Tortisemotse are drumming support for him. And in the Central senatorial district, Dr. Steve Oru, Chief G. Sefia, General Obada (rtd.), Gen Dominic Oneya (rtd.), national chairman of the Urhobo Political Forum (UPF), Chief Ighoyota Amori, Chief Oboh, Erhuerho, Tietie, Joe Omene, a member of the House of Representatives, Halims Agoda, Chief Peter Kpogban, Mr. Omeni Sobotie, Matthew Edevbie, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and former aspirant, Barrister Ovie Omo-Agege, Chief Austin Uloho, Terry Noah, Chief and Mrs. Obofukhoro are all for Uduaghan. Ditto for Chiefs Okitiakpe, Siakpere, Ekpiwhre, Dr. E.A. Ideh, chief of staff, Government House, Asaba, Prof G.G. Darah, , Chief Otirikpe, Oghenekaro, Austin Ogbabunor, Moses Odibok Chief M. Adiotomre, M. Omeru, Chief Obodo, Taro Joseph, Mr. and Mrs. Ojakovo, Prof Igun, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, Chief Ejaife Odebala, Chief Tom Amioku, Prof Sam Oyovbaire, Chief Asini and Lizzy Obukene. It is, on the other hand, not an overstatement to say that the state governor, Chief James Ibori is the power behind Uduaghan and very recently, President Olusegun Obasanjo came out publicly to declare that anybody against Uduaghan's candidacy in the state was an enemy of progress. The Action Congress (AC) is in a dilemma in the state, as the name of its flag bearer, Chief Peter Okocha was not in the list of those cleared for the poll by the INEC. Okocha had since taken INEC to court. If the matter is not resolved in his favour before the poll, it would mean that the AC had lost even before the people leave for the polling stations on April 14. Nevertheless, Okocha, who was temporarily taken aback by the development, has continued with his campaign in the past few days just like the party's presidential candidate, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who also suffered the same heartbreak. Even then, the permutations are not as straight-forward as some political analysts see it. Chief Clark had vowed he and other leaders of the state would stop at nothing to thwart all moves to coronate the former SSG. His group is planning to back a consensus gubernatorial candidate on April 14. But first, they want to negotiate with the candidates and their political parties to select a compromise candidate. The decision, however, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the candidate who would rule for only four years if elected, and who would also abide by the agreement reached with the elders has not gone down well with most people in the state. Already, the gubernatorial candidate of the PRP, Mr. Igbini Emmanuel has said that he would not sign any agreement with the elders, as that would amount to surrendering his mandate to whims and caprices of the group. He also described the plan as illegal and undemocratic. BAYELSA STATE Although eight parties have fielded their candidates for the forthcoming governorship election in the Bayelsa state, none could be said to have shown any serious commitment like the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. And it is understandable though because it is the party in power, with all the inherent advantages. The issue of who wins the April election in Bayelsa would definitely not be decided by the individual personality or his vision for the young state but by the party controlling the state's huge revenue allocation and also the instrument of coercion. That bill incidentally fits the ruling PDP. This line of thinking is greatly responsible for the highly charged scenario that played out before and after the PDP primaries where the political gladiators within the Peoples Democratic Party wedged a dogged battle to clinch the ticket, which eventually went to Timipre Sylva who came second but only was moved up following the selection of the original winner Governor Goodluck Jonathan as vice presidential running mate to Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. Interestingly, one cannot but notice the myriad of posters, T-shirts and banners, advertising the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva and his running mate who incidentally is the incumbent deputy, Hon Peremobowei Ebebi in all the nooks and crannies of the state, thereby reinforcing the consensus that Bayelsa is under the firm grip of the PDP. It is not as if the PDP candidates are the most respected pair in the state but they have everything going for them since they are representing the ruling party which controls the state resources. Given the acrimony that greeted the nomination of Sylva, who is from the same Bayelsa East senatorial district like Governor Jonathan as replacement for Chief Francis Doukpola from the West senatorial district who was earlier nominated, it was the contention of political observers in the state that the party might lose the governorship election through protest votes to the Action Congress (AC) which had then fielded Arc Amagbe Kentebe, a scion of the famous Kentebe family from Adagbabiri in the West senatorial district. This calculation was predicated on the vehement protest from the West and Central senatorial districts which constitute the majority of the electorate in the state who were in support of the Doukpola/Igali ticket that was substituted by the national leadership of the party. The AC, however, did not help its chances of clinching the governorship seat when Amagbe Kentebe who won the party primaries was substituted in a controversial circumstance by the national leadership of the party in Abuja with Ebitimi Amgbare, a cousin of former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, prompting one of its founding members in the state, Rev Ebi Paul to resign his portfolio as its national welfare officer in protest. To most analysts, given the popularity of the AC at the national level and the initial disenchantment that greeted the choice of the PDP candidate, a Kentebe ticket might have swayed the votes in favour of the former but some powers that be at the AC secretariat in Abuja rather opted for Amgbare, thinking that a released former governor Alamieyeseigha before the poll would turn the table against the ruling party. For the ANPP, which in 1999 claimed to have won the election in the state, the same cannot be said of the party in the present dispensation. Like the other parties, it has been badly weakened on account of poor funding and is yet to kick-start its campaign as against the promise of its flagbearer, Elder Bethel Amabebe. Also, the DPP could not be said to be on ground even though it has a serving senator in the person of Senator John Brambaifa as its guber candidate. Although the Agbere-born legislator has never hidden his interest in the plum office, his nemesis, however, is that he has no structure on ground as the Alamco cartel that brought him to power in the 2003 election as against the popular Heineken Lokpobiri has since capitulated with the exit of the former Governor Alamieyeseigha from the political arena of the state. Moreover, the elevation of Governor Goodluck Jonathan as the PDP vice presidential candidate is a plus for the ruling PDP as the people of the state are prepared to put aside their differences to vote en masse for one of their own whose presence at the national level, they believe, would help turn around the fortunes of their young state. AKWA IBOM STATE Since the incumbent Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah rode on the back of the PeoplesDemocratic Party to power on May, 29, 1999, it did not surprise anybody that the state easily retained power in 2003. However, the April 14 polls in the state will witness the participation of other parties, each desirous to oust PDP. Parties and candidates taking part in the elections are the PDP whose flag is being flown by Obong Godswill Akpabio, the Action Congress which parades Mr. James Iniama and the Progressive Peoples Alliance which is presenting Obong Chris Ekpenyong.Others are the All Nigeria Peoples Party which has Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd), Labour Party with Dr. Ekeng Anam-Ndu, the African Democratic Party which is featuring Edet Inwang Udo and the Democratic Peoples Party's Obong Samuel Atang.Without doubt, of all the seven parties that are presenting candidates for the April, 2007 polls, the PDP appears to be far ahead of others in organisation, structures, campaigns, funding as well as being the incumbent political power holder in the state. Though Akpabio may be the man to beat, the other political parties are also on ground in the state. Yet, the PDP appears to have gained grounds than others as the party that has controlled political power in the state these past eight years.Akpabio, a lawyer and former Commissioner for Petroleum and later Local Government and ChieftaincyAffairs in the Attah cabinet, has the support of the youths, top Akwa Ibom politicians in Abuja as well as the state PDP hierarchy. He has promised to continue with projects and programmes of the Attah administration as well as promised to eradicate poverty through the creation of youth empowerment schemes. Another governorship aspirant who is tipped to make a mark in the April 2007 elections is the formerdeputy governor of the state, Obong Chris Ekpenyong who served under the Attah administration for six and a half years. Ekpenyong argues that since he was the one that drew the state's economic, political and social blue-print with Attah, he was the right candidate to succeed him to enable him implement the remaining part of the blue-print. According to him, he has come to redeem Akwa Ibom people from economic strangulations by building cottage industries. The All Nigeria Peoples Party candidate in the state, Group Captain Ewang, a former military administrator of Ogun and Rivers states, says his coming into the race is divine. As such, he believes God will make him emerge the next governor of Akwa Ibom.Although he has the experience, discipline and the muscle to rule the state as a retired military officer, the ANPP is not as popular in the state particularly since its former national chairman, Chief Don Etiebet, an indigene of Akwa Ibom abandoned the party mid-way and returned to the PDP. The Action Congress whose governorship candidate is James Iniama, an estate surveyor and valuer, is liked by the youths. The party is certain to make serious impact but it may not have what if finally takes to withstand the intimidating posture of the PDP. EDO STATE Five political parties presented candidates for the gubernatorial race in Edo state. The candidates are Oserhienmen Osunbor (PDP), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (AC), Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula (ANPP), Charles Idahosa (DPP) and Solomon Edebiri of the Peoples Popular Party (PPP). Nonetheless, the contest for who replaces Governor Lucky Igbinedion is between the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Congress. The reason is not far-fetched. The PDP in Edo state has been in power since the inception of this democracy in 1999 and as a result they have built formidable structures on ground that would be difficult for any opposition political party to beat. Besides, they have in their arsenal, political tacticians that you can hardly discuss the politics of the state without mentioning their names. Some of those political leaders are the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, two-time governor of old Bendel state, Dr Samuel Ogbemudia , Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and Alhaji Inu Umoru. In the Action Congress, their gubernatorial candidate, Comrade Oshiomhole is one man that has distinguished himself in the country and since he declared his interest in the race in Edo, it meant to PDP that it is no longer going to be business as usual. And solidly behind him in this battle which he tagged " Redemption Battle", are the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, Senator Rowland Owie, former Chief of Staff to the Edo State Government, Mr Sam Iredia, Frank Erewele and a host of others. The Peoples Democratic Party picked its candidate from the Central senatorial district because of the desire of the chairman of the party's BOT, Chief Anenih to produce a governor for his own kinsmen before his retirement from politics. The Central had produced a civilian governor in the past, the late Prof Ambrose Ali. In order to counter the PDP, the Action Congress settled for Oshiomohle who is from the North district. This particular zone is the only zone that is yet to produce a civilian governor for the state. The fact , however, remains that the crisis that rocked the PDP in the state for a long time will definitely affect its chances in the forthcoming governorship elections. Besides that, the people of Edo North see Oshiomohle's participation in the race as a golden opportunity for them to produce the governor of the state after several years of alleged marginalization. AC also is very popular in the South, where Governor Igbinedion hails from because during the factional crisis that rocked the party, the governor's faction moved into the AC. Though the crisis had since been resolved, most of the governor's supporters have been pushed out from the mainstream PDP and some PDP members have had cause to accuse the governor of being sympathetic to the AC even though he openly refuted it. Osunbor is seen as a very sound candidate inspite of his support for the botched third term bid. But his problem may be the leaders backing him today. The hisses are that it was the same leaders who supported Chief Igbinedion in 1999 and 2003 when they declared that there was no vacancy in Osadebey Avenue, but one year later, the same leaders accused the governor of not performing because of the internal bickering. Generally, the people of the state desire a change and liberation from the grip of such oldies. Thus, the people may want to make a political statement by voting out those referred to as godfathers who have been in charge of the politics of the state for a very long time. And if that happens, Oshiomhole will win. But if the leaders are successful with the same tactics which they used in the 2003 elections, PDP is bound to triumph. However, if the people of the North senatorial district which commands the second largest population in the state after Edo South put their acts together, and see the April 14 polls as an opportunity to install their own (Oshiomhole) and vote massively for him, and also get majority of the votes from the South which has the largest population, then the immediate past president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will be cruising to victory. But will the two-time governor of the defunct Bendel state, Chief Ogbemudia and veteran politician, Chief Sunny Uyigue allow such to happen when they are for Osunbor? If that happens too, Osunbor with an expected majority votes from his domain, which is the Central district can be dreaming of victory. The truth is that the battle in Edo is not going to be easy for the two front runners. It is too close to call here. Arigbe-Osula has an avowed hatred for the so-called political godfathers in the state and is most likely to attract votes from the people who see him as a dogged fighter. The only problem is that the ANPP has since lost its vibrancy and is not seen as the major opposition party in the state. RIVERS STATE Not much can be said of the other political parties in Rivers state in terms of campaigning for the April election. Besides the posters on the streets announcing the governorship bids of the likes of Sergeant Awuse of the DPP and Prince Tonye Princewill of the Action Congress, it does not really appear like the other parties in the state are approaching the election with the same level of seriousness like the PDP. But then, what do you make of a state with huge resources and a large campaign purse? Nevertheless, the two parties mentioned appear to be the ones with visible governorship candidates but the ruling party seems to be in a clear lead. Led by Governor Peter Odili, the party's governorship candidate, Barrister Celestine Omehia is currently on tour of the various local governments. But despite this plus, the PDP is enmeshed in a major factional problem in the state. It can be safely concluded that there are about four factions within the party reportedly working at cross purposes. Omehia, Odili and some top leaders of the party in the state are in one camp. The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who won the party's December governorship primary but was later dropped by the national leadership of the party is said to be in league with some local government chairmen and some members of the House of Assembly pursuing another agenda within the party. The third group has those who walked out of the party's December governorship primary when they suspected that it was being stage-managed by the governor of the state and top leaders of the party in the state to throw up Amaechi as the flag bearer. They include, Senator Ibipuye Martyns-Yellowe, Bar Dumo Lulu-Briggs among others. What appears to be the fourth group but not very loud in the politics within the party is the Austin Opara camp. Opara is the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. It would be recalled that he was allegedly prevailed upon by the governor of the state and other top brass of the party in Rivers to step down for Hon Rotimi at that December primary. But the decision, sources said, did not go down well with him. Hence it is believed in some quarters within the party that he may be on a journey different from others. The recent victory of Senator Ifeanyi Ararume at an Appeal Court in Lagos has further heightened the tension in the PDP in the state. This is because Amaechi who won the December primary but was dropped reportedly headed to the Appeal Court to challenge his substitution. And there are fears that like the case of Ararume, he too might win. Ararume had secured a judgment at an Appeal Court that quashed the substitution of his candidature in Imo state. Barrister Omehia, the gubernatorial standard bearer of the party in the state emerged as a substitute candidate after Amaechi was dropped. Last Tuesday's protest at the party's secretariat on Aba road further confirmed it that all might not have been well with the party in the state. Some members had marched to the secretariat, calling for the expulsion of the Speaker from the party. In their protest letter to the state chairman, they alleged that the Speaker was working alongside his loyalists to frustrate the governorship bid of the party's candidate, Celestine Omehia. They queried why he went to court to challenge the party's decision on his candidature. Despite the internal wrangling in the party, it is no doubt that the state is one of the strongholds of the PDP in the country. But there is the issue of militancy and cultism that should be given utmost consideration in whatever political permutation being worked out. There has been upsurge in cult clashes in the state which have left many dead. Many believe that they are signs of what to expect in the general elections. Rather than meet the people with their programmes, some keen observers fear that politicians are busy recruiting these cultists for the political battles.But no matter how things go, the PDP still appears the party to beat in the coming elections in the state. CROSS RIVER In Cross River state, the people are satisfied with the performance of the PDP under the incumbent governor, Mr. Donald Duke, and they would not mind to cast their lots with the party once more. That is the good thing going for the gubernatorial candidate, Senator Liyel Imoke. The former Minister also has the backing of President Olusegun Obasanjo. But he has Emmanuel Ibeshi of the Action Congress, Iheke Solomomon (PPA), Hon Mike Ogar (RPN), Senator Paul Ukra (ANPP), Dr. Eyo Enm'Nyong (DPP), James Ebri (ARP), Hon Emmanuel Egbeidaka (ADC) and Hon Innocent Okey (APGA) to contend with. Cross River is, however, a PDP state and it may not be possible, at least in the April 14 gubernatorial poll, for any other party to beat Senator Imoke given the stature of the party in the state. Copyright 2007 Vanguard. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |