Few weeks ago, I got a report that Chief James Ibori, a former Governor of
Delta state, has politically endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta
State for a second tenure in office and I just wondered if canvassing
support for Okowa in a public function was enough to say he has endorsed
him for a second term!
Even if he endorses him so early at a time like this when the goodwill
being enjoyed by Governor Okowa appears to be waning, does that signify a
second term ticket?
Though reports had it that Ibori while in jail in the UK serving his
sentence over corruption and money laundering charges made Governors,
Senate President, Speaker, Senators, House of Assembly members etc, but,
how weighty could his endorsement be in today’s politics.
Politically, endorsement does not win elections and if you doubt this go
and ask former President Goodluck Jonathan. He is a living testimony.
What Ibori has done is just a show of comradeship, nothing more, and
nothing less. If Dr. Okowa wants to retain his seat in Government House,
he should do more, and work harder because he may not get it as easy as
when he rode on Ibori’s back in 2015.
Whilst Ibori’s reported endorsement of Okowa is already heating up the
Delta political landscape and causing jittery among some contending
political forces, the question bogging many pundits is, can Ibori`s
endorsement actually influence election victory this time around?
Ibori, politically, is standing on one foot as to whether he may remain in
his now crisis-torn People’s Democratic Party, PDP – this is something
still kept in the cooler. Political watchers, including this writer
believe that if Ibori decides to remain in PDP, he may not be in the same
faction with former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the leader of the
party.
The reason being adduced, according to Chima Ubochi in his article is
that, Ibori tormented Goodluck Jonathan, when he (Jonathan) was the vice
president, and was the reason why late President Umaru Yar’Adua reduced
the office of the vice president to a ministerial level and never cared to
hand over to Jonathan, as VP, whenever he travelled out of Nigeria.
The commentator believes that if Yar’Adua was alive today, Ibori would not
have been jailed or made to forfeit any asset whatsoever. Besides, Ibori
would have replaced Goodluck Jonathan, during Yar’Adua’s second term, and
thereafter, would have taken over from Yar’Adua, after the latter’s second
term.
That was the plan and arrangement from the beginning; that was why Ibori
bankrolled Yar’Adua’s campaign in 2007, and that was why EFCC, under Nuhu
Ribadu, was unable to bring Ibori to justice, despite the alleged
unspeakable financial crimes of which he was later jailed, Ubochi
postulated.
The saga created bad blood between Jonathan and Ibori, and when Jonathan
eventually became the President, Ibori’s files were vetted by internal and
external security forces and he (Jonathan), reportedly signed his
extradition to the United Kingdom when he finally mounted the saddle as
President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Force of Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
The animosity which the scenario generated between the duo has not been
reconciled.
Whether the ongoing reconciliation in the PDP championed by the National
Reconciliation Committee led by Hon Sariake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa
state, trying to reconcile aggrieved members on the side of the
court-certified National Chairman of the party, Senator Sheriff Modu and
care-taker committee Chairman, Senator Admed Makarfi, which met with Ibori
recently in his country home Oghara, Ethiope West Council may save the
situation is yet unclear.
Coming back home, one wonders, going by this development, under what party
should we hinge the Ibori-endorsement of Governor Okowa when apparently,
insinuations are rife that he may possibly defect to another political
party.
As some political analysts believe, Ibori’s endorsement carry a lot of
weight evident by the hullabaloo it has generated, but viewed against the
backdrop of the current internal friction in the party, it may not hold
much waters, at least for now.
Moreso, the supposed endorsement has triggered public backlash, apparently
because it was hinged on the premises that backing Okowa for a second term
in office is in anticipation that the Delta North Senatorial District
would throw its support behind an Urhobo candidate when the time comes, as
though there are no other political parties and ethnic group who would
want to wrestle power come 2019.
Governor Okowa is constantly criticised for being ‘clannish’ – like he
wore ethnic toga to Government House, and accused of insensitivity to
worker’s plight, especially his failure to clear the arrears of salaries
of primary and secondary school teachers, local councils’ workers as well
as cornering jobs to himself and cronies. These, among other factors are
compounding Okowa’s administration and his chances in future elections.
Okowa is expected to do his two tenure unchallenged going by the
gentlemanly PDP zoning agreement as both Delta Central and South had
successfully taken their turns in Ibori and Uduaghan respectively.
But unfortunately his “prosperity for all” 2015 election’s mantra excused
on dwindling federal allocation and poor Internal Generated Revenue, IGR,
accruing to the state, is nothing to write home about, even though some
non-oil bearing states are faring better in their economic agenda, a clear
examples being Kebbi state and oil producing Cross River State.
If what is happening in PDP at the National level permeates to the states,
as it is already, with seemingly report of police notification to take
over the state PDP Secretariat in Asaba by the Sheriff’s faction, then
that endorsement under this PDP may not be it.
It is a common practice in Nigeria for politicians to make statements
during political events as was made by Ibori, canvassing support for
Governor Okowa to enable him retain his seat but that shouldn’t have
troubled some gladiators the way it did, yet it has ruffled feathers in
some quarters.
For some political pundits, Ibori remains a rallying point since he
created the first political dynasty in Delta and since 1999 has been the
one calling the shot; and had singlehandedly, not like casting all the
votes anyway, installed his successor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and incumbent
Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.
His endorsement if in the right party can actually sway votes – he is that
powerful. But given the fact that the corruption allegations of which he
was convicted has reduced his estimation, his endorsement this time around
may make little or no effect on the polls come 2019.
For Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who contested the 2015 governorship elections
with Okowa under the All Progressives Congress and lost out, Ibori’s
endorsement of Okowa has closed the door to Ibori’s possibly defection to
APC as was insinuated when he first arrived Nigeria from the UK.
Reports quoted Emerhor to have said that Ibori’s endorsement of Okowa has
diffused speculations that the former governor had sympathy for the APC.
According to him, “We in APC Delta State have anticipated this endorsement
long ago and are quite prepared to meet him, Okowa and the PDP at the 2019
elections to finally determine which party now owns the state’s political
landscape”.
But those who have watched politics in Delta State know anything can
happen when the chips are down. The dynamics of Delta politics can be
unpredictable sometimes just like it happened during the PDP’s primary
election; but with what the party has done so far, Okowa still has a very
long way to go to retain that exalted seat in the Unity House, Asaba.
Written by Joe Ogbodu
Joe Ogbodu,
PUBLISHER/CEO
Pen Times Communications Synergy,
Publishers of BigPen Online.
www.bigpenngr.com
joeogbodu@bigpenngr.com
+2348038183450