Date Published: 05/20/10
Kpokpogri The Man The Cap Fit, Uduaghan Must Respect G-3 Deal
By Prince Amour Udemude
May 20, 2010
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REAR ADMIRAL KPOKPOGRI (Rtd) |
Rear Admiral John Onoriode Kpokpogri (Rtd) may not have declared his intention to contest the 2011 Governorship election, but he is easily a frontline contender among those clamouring to clinch the Delta state number one seat come 2011.
Kpokpogri, a retired, but not tired Navy officer has no doubt paid his dues in his chosen career.
Please permit me to briefly make a run down of biography of the man ‘Kpokpogri’, the man the cap fit to take charge of Government House, come 2011.
Rear Admiral (Chief) John Onoriode Kpokpogri (Rtd) was born, December, 8, 1952 into the families of Mr. & Mrs. Emmanuel Etemebe kpokpogri of Ikpide-Irri and lyede both of Isoko South and North local government areas of Delta State. Kpokpogri is an old boy of the famous Urhobo College, Effurun from where he proceeded in 1971 to Federal school of science, Lagos for his advanced level.
Kpokpogri was enlisted into the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna in 1975 and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1976. Thereafter the man, Kpokpogri proceeded to Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), Dartmouth, United Kingdom.
Kpokpogri was the Commanding Officer, (CO) 101 Helicopter Squadron in UK from 1984 –1985, Directing Staff at the Armed forces command and staff college Jaji 1992 – 1994. In 1994, Kpokpogri was the Commanding Officer (CO) of NNS AMBE, an amphibious Naval War ship that sailed to Liberia and Sierra Leone for ECOMOG operations. 1985 on his return he was appointed Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Ojo in Lagos.
Kpokpogri held several positions and appointments which include, Director of Operations, Naval Headquarter, Lagos 1999-2000, Commanding Officer NNS Umalokun Warri, Delta State, 2000-2001 Commanding Naval Task Group in Bakassi 2002- 2003 among others too numerous to mention.
However in December, 2005, the man Kpokpogri was promoted to the rank of a Rear Admiral and in2006-2007 he became the Deputy Commandant, Armed Forces command and staff College, Jaji, Kaduna before he retired from services in March 2007 after serving his father land meritoriously.
Kpokpogri was also decorated with so many Military Awards including Forces Services Star (FSS), Meritorious Services Star (MSS), Defense Service Star (DSS), Equatorial Guinea Defence Service Star (EGDSS), Passed Staff College DSS Dagger (PSC+), Master of Science University of Ibadan amongst others and of course he speaks Isoko, Yoruba, Spanish, English and other languages fluently. He is a lover of lawn tennis, football, Music, Swimming, reading and happily married with children. With all this intimidating both in academics and human, qualities embedded in this man of honour (Kpokpogri), now tell me who is out there not afraid of kpokpogri joining the 2011 governorship train in Delta State?.
According to the state Redemption Peoples Party (PRP) governorship candidate in the 2007 general elections, Comrade Emmanuel Odafe Igbini "The decisions by Rear Admiral Kpokpogri (rtd) and others to vie for the governorship of Delta State come April 2011 is very welcome and laudable as hopefully this will further raise the level of politics and democracy geared towards bringing about participation of more credible and patriotic Deltans into governance process of our beloved Delta State. Deltans, irrespective of their political parties should give all governorship aspirants equal opportunity to be heard and to present their manifestoes and agenda.
It is also very imperative for me to strongly advise the PDP against undue and biased support to incumbent Governor Uduaghan above other new PDP governorship aspirants of PDP. Such action unfavourable treatment and support if allowed will be immoral and unconstitutional and will sure provide a good ground for litigations ahead of 2011 elections.
The Delta State Police Command must give equal security protection to all Political Office Aspirants during the period of these ongoing political consultations and campaigns. All politicians and political parties must unconditionally and immediately desist from recruiting, organising and or sponsoring youths into political violence because the overriding interest for a peaceful, united and progressive Delta State cannot be negotiated away for any individual’s or party’s interest" he stated.
I want to warn at this stage that any fraudulent moves by hook or crook to rig the 2011 elections shall witness the wrath of God on the evil doers in the state. I want to add that a position not judiciously won as in an elective office but fraudulently hijacked via thuggery, falsehood and bloodshed is a curse.
Even kpokpogri may not yet have signaled his entry into the race, the horde of supporters from all the ethnics in the state has shown that he is the man who the Delta state governor’s cap fit come 2011.
Who are you to challenge what God almighty has decreed? Though the 2011 general elections are still many months away but the issues of power shift still remain a strong hood in the 2011 elections in the state.
Rear Admiral Kpokpogri’s entry into the race is significant because of a deal allegedly struck under G-3, Uduaghan political canopy, that come 2011 an Isoko person, one of the three ethnic nationalities that made up Delta South would be supported to become governor of the state.
In a document allegedly signed by key Delta South members of the G-3 in Udughan’s administration, it was learnt that in 2007, Ministerial position was zoned to the Ijaw while the Itsekiri took the governorship position, and Isoko were given commissionership position but with a caveat that come 2011 an Isoko person will assumes office as governor.
But actually if this is the true position, why is the incumbent governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan don’t want to respect the deal and trying to be deceptive and playing a fast one on the people, thereby arranging and sponsoring flurry of endorsements by interest and political groups across the state.
Some one is tempted to ask again why is Uduaghan been wicked and unfair to the people of Isoko. I want the governor, Dr. Uduaghan to note that it is on record in the Bible that there is no peace for the wicked.
These are people who occupy very prestigious, exalted enviable and money spinning positions but yet have no peace in their lives while in office and even years after their tenure because they were not been truthful and rob their fellow of what rightly belong to them. No mater what, you cannot cheat nature, Chief James Ibori, former governor of the state is a tropical example of those who subvert the truth and trying to cheat nature, but friends, they can not have their way because nemesis must always catch up with such dubious and fraudulent characters.
Governor Uduaghan should not forget that at every stage in life, those who for one political reasons or the other surpass the truth, they have one battle or another to fight because God is not mocked. The pathway to the office is littered with the carcasses of bruised ego, stolen votes, blood of the innocent lives and glorified falsehood. God’s silence does not always stand for consent. That the land is being vandalized by evil men in a seemingly divine approved manner does not mean God is happy.
The churches are open and Bible quotations there for evil doers to tap from in order to give a divine coloration to activities of government but if the man is not chosen he is not chosen but Kpokpogri has been chosen by the people, the masses as their messiah who has come to liberate the state from the hands of some so called cabal, Kpokpogri has all it takes to weather the storm as far as Delta state is concerned.
The former Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral John Kpokpogri has all the where withal to lead the people of the state to the promise land.
Many people have bleeding bank accounts, ceaseless court cases, overwhelming family crisis debilitating business experience and move for reasons not known to them or anybody. Dishonesty, insecurity and corruption have their rewards.
Rear Admiral Kpokpogri has always spoken and continues to speak out against injustice, any one who comes in contact with this prodigy from Isoko, Delta state would easily attest to the fact that his stupendous wealth of experience humanly, humble, approachable and down to earth has always attracted him to the masses. Kpokpogri maintains a friendly disposition with everyone, the rich, the poor and the people, the strong and the weak.
He is indeed a man of the people who has direct link with the masses and suffix to say that politics flows in his veins.
Indeed, Kpokpogri knows the terrain of Delta state like the back of his hand, conversant with the psychological idiosyncrasies of Deltans.
The zeal and commitment Kpokpogri has for the state was borne out of his desire to create a new Delta State where the weak and the strong, the indigenes and non-indigenes are treated equally, where you can turn your tap with confidence and water will flow, where you will switch your light and it will shine, where your children will receive good education and be sure of gainful employment when they leave school.
His vision is to transform the state into an economically prosperous, socially stable and politically peaceful state, a state where tax payers’ money N70-N80 million will not be wasted on street lights monthly.
With the state currently at a cross road, drifting aimlessly like a ship without a captain, the likes of Rear Admiral Kpokpogri with his acknowledged bundle of energy is urgently needed in 2011 to lead the state to the promise land.
Following the antecedent of kpokpogri a group under the umbrella of Delta South Political Forum had in a press statement contended that ex-Delta governor James Ibori merely exploited the agitation of the Delta South people for power shift to imposed Uduaghan on the people of the senatorial district.
According to the chairman of the group. Dr. Dickson Otobo, the race is on to replace Uduaghan because this they stressed that the reality today is not strange despite the fact that "We are not happy with Governor Uduaghan over his emergence as governor or how he has mismanaged the chance given to Delta south".
Kpokpogri had since been endorsed by the Delta State Coalition for Change.
In a statement by Chief Azuka Nwadishi (Delta North0, Johnson Erukaye (Delta Central), and Brandon Ofuya, Central and North in Warri, described Kpokpogri as the man to take the state out of the woods. The group however enjoined the people to rise and arrest the ugly situation by taking their destiny in their own hands.
The Isoko elites under the Umbrella of the Isoko United Club (IUC) has also unanimously pledged their unalloyed support for the gubernatorial ambition of one of their own, Rear Admiral Kpokpogri as well as conferring on him an award.
It would be recalled that an Isoko illustrious son and great philanthropist, High Chief Paul Eriri had in 2005 during an interview with the Urhobo Voice Newspaper called on all Isoko sons and daughters to support an Isoko man to become the governor of the state during the 2007 general elections.
According to Chief Eriri, the Isoko man has all the financial resources and the credentials to be the governor of the state. "Isoko man is the most qualified, resourceful and the rightful person fit to rule Delta state" stressing that right from the creation of the state, an Isoko man has not for once tasted the number one seat, he concluded.
I want say without fear or favour that Delta State is sick and tired of looters hence the masses are clamouring for a God chosen one in the likes of Kpokpogri who is God fearing.
One thing is sure; those who are grabbing and looting Delta state today think they would be remembered for the wealth they amassed. They are wrong, in spite of his immense wealth, Sani Abacha is being remembered today, not for good but for the woes he caused Nigeria. The occupant of Aso Rock, all the 36 state governors and every members of the political class have a case to answer before God and man someday. IBB, today, is being haunted by the ghost of June 12, 1993.
I want to end this piece by stating in equivocally that the chosen one is the man who goes into an elective contest, trusting in his popularity and God’s favour as the spirit of democracy allows.
The chosen one is the man who refuses to fill his armory with all kinds of weapons to engage the teeming unemployed youths to kill, snatch boxes, maim all for selfish interest.
The chosen on is a man of honour, dignity, loved by the people, pious and noble in all ramifications.
The chosen one is chosen of God and man, and he knows it. In all Rear Admiral John Onoriode Kpokpogri is no doubt, the chosen one by God, people and the masses of Delta State.
Fellow good people of Delta State, never sell your votes for peanuts, lets all join hands and give our votes to the chosen one, Kpokpogri come 2011 for a better and perfect representation in government House.
Prince Amour Udemude is a Journalist and wrote in from Asaba, the Delta state capital.
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