Against the backdrop of the decision of the Urhobo Progressive Union, UPU, to screen and prune the number of Urhobo aspirants for the 2023 governorship election, an aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olorogun Fred Majemite, has advised the socio-cultural union to team up with the DC-23 lobby group in its quest to produce the next governor of the state.
Majemite, who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area recently, noted that while he was not totally against the UPU getting interested in who becomes the next governor, it was necessary for it to work in synergy with the DC-23 group which is purely political, to ensure that Urhobo speak with one voice to produce the next governor of the State.
He said: “I agree that in as much as I don’t subscribe to UPU being too partisan politically, but again too they must have interest in who becomes their governor, especially now that it is coming to Delta Central, other things being equal.
“But I think they should work with DC-23 so that we don’t have differences because there must be some kind of synergy between the two bodies. DC-23 is a political body whether you like it or not, while UPU ought to be done non-partisanly.
“However, they should know that in the time past they tried and it didn’t work for them. When UPU came up with a candidate and of course, their candidate did not win. So, I expect them to be careful of another failure because you and I know that once bitten twice shy.”
On the ongoing screening and pruning exercise by a committee set up by DC-23, Majemite said he was optimistic he would emerge the PDP governorship candidate from Urhobo, adding that he had not only paid his due, he had also stepped down for some other candidates in the past when he contested for the Senate seat from Delta Central.
He said he had put himself on a scale and was convinced he was most qualified for the office of the governor of Delta State come 2023, adding that he was the candidate to beat.
“I’m no longer a neophyte in this business. I’m familiar with the terrain, I have consulted extensively and I’m happy with the responses.
“I’m very optimistic in this matter because if you look at my history, I’m somebody who had attempted the Senate twice now and twice have I been advised to withdraw for one or two candidates, and I did that. I think it is now my turn. I’m not even thinking that there will be anybody who will say I should not be considered. All things being equal, I should be considered.
“Besides, if you look at all the aspirants, I have put myself on a scale and I strongly believe that before they will consider five, three even one person, I should be considered. I have no doubt at all that I will be the candidate to beat.
“I know that DC-23 are doing a good job. They have been able to convince our neighbours that it is our turn,” he said.
On the call by some groups that it is the turn of Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie, OSU, federal constituency to produce the next governor from Urhobo, Majemite disagreed, saying the issue should not be belittled to the constituency level. Rather, he said, consideration, should be given to the old government administrative structure of Western Urhobo or Eastern Urhobo.
According to him, consideration by way of Western Urhobo and Eastern Urhobo divisions is the best way to go when it comes to the issue of where in Delta Central the governor should emerge from, noting that the two divisions had produced governors at one time or the other.
He said that while the Eastern Urhobo Division produced the Late Felix Ibru as Governor of Delta State, Western Urhobo Division produced Chief James Ibori as governor also, adding that it is now the turn of Eastern Urhobo Division to produce the next governor from Delta Central.
“Even in our Senatorial District, some persons are saying it should go to a particular federal constituency, and I told them no, that we should not belittle the issue by talking about federal constituency. If we are talking about division, then we should be talking about Eastern and Western Urhobo divisions. That is the best we can go when it comes to Delta Central.
“And you and I know that when the Eastern and Western Urhobo divisions are put together both of them have had it before. First, from the Eastern, we had the Late Chief Felix Ibru and of course, when it was the turn of Western Urhobo, we had Chief James Ibori. So, it is now the turn of Eastern Urhobo Division,” he said.
