…As Opposition APC Spits Fire
By John Oghojafor
The trio of Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, Senator Obaisi Ovie Omo Agege, representing Delta Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly; Dr (Mrs) Ahmadu Ali, Senatorial aspirant for Delta North Senatorial District and top chieftains of the All Progress Congress (APC) have all vowed to unseat Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State come 2019.
The three APC leaders made this declaration at the country home of Senator Obaisi Ovie Omo Agege, when he played host to all the Councillorship and Chairmanship Candidates of the party who participated in the just-concluded Local Government election in the state, at Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area.
Speaking, Chief Great Ogboru, popularly known as the Peoples General, assured that if he comes out victorious in 2019 Governorship election, he would put in place a process to conduct a proper, free and fair Local Government election in the state, stating that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will no longer be able to win through election mal-practice again.
“It is time for change, not for the sake of it. For those of you who participated in what Okowa did on 6th January, 2018, it will not stand. We will change it. How are we going to change it? We are going to up a process in place to dismantle that election. Let it continue as long as Okowa and his PDP remain in power.
“I will not be a Governor of a State where Local Government election will not be conducted. I hope you know that, if PDP wins, I will give it to them if it is APC, fine! We are all Deltans.”
Chief Ogboru stressed that if the Local Government election was conducted in a free and fair manner, it would have deepened and strengthen democracy in the state, describing the election as man inhumanity to man.
According to him, there was too much injustice in Delta State, adding that it was the sole reason why the state has been so backward since the present democratic dispensation saying that, over the years, Deltans have been active in political participation and mass movement led by him and the people have always came out victorious, yet their mandate have always been stolen by the PDP.
He noted that some persons have equally lost their lives in the process. He however vowed that this time around nobody can steal the peoples mandate rather he assured that a New Delta with him as Governor will emerge in 2019.
“With distinguished Senator Ovie Omo Agege and Mrs. Mariam Ali as your Senator in waiting, are you going to say No, Ogboru asked, adding that a new Delta State where your hope and aspirations are going to be met will emerge come 2019. I’m certain about one thing and that is when the People’s General is going to be your Governor “
Also speaking at occasion, Senator Obaisi Ovie Omo Agege said that Deltans were in a hurry to unseat Okowa for what he described “as the worst government in the history of Delta State. I served as Secretary to the State Government, it has never been like this”, stressing further that “based on the reality on ground, where civil servants are not being paid their salaries, Local Government workers are the worst more than between 12 and 15 months in salary arrears, pensioners being owed several months of their pensions and DESOPADEC presently shutdown over non-payment of salary arrears, the Okowa government is indeed the worst government in the history of Delta State.”
Senator Omo-Agege clarified that the get-together with the party’s former candidates to appreciate and salute their courage and gallantry in the Local Government Election, adding that they were the true winners of the election even though they were denied certificate of return
“If this can happen in 2019 in an election to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, then PDP is gone. In their own election they couldn’t bring result sheets an election where both PDP ward chairmen and Local Government Chairmen were both Electoral Officers and Returning Officers. You were able to hold them to ransom. I salute your courage.
“You have shown to the World that you own the land. This fraud will choke their throat in a couple of months. You have not heard the last on the Local Government election.”
Senator Omo-Agege advised his party faithful to relax their mind and energy towards the battle of 2019 where the elections are going to be conducted by INEC, where the Police, Army and others cannot be used against us. I can assure you that APC own the federal, so by 2019 they cannot try this nonsense. It is going to be a different ball game entirely. “
On her part, an aspirant to the Delta North Senatorial seat in 2019 and wife of former PDP national chairman, Chief Dr. Mrs. Ahmadu Ali, described Governor Okowa as a coward.
“Okowa and his cohorts are cowards. When Okowa ask you to sit down, run, if he asks you to run sit down. We must take over Government House Asaba in 2019. Salaries are not paid; they are sharing our money. If they give you money collect it; it is your money, but make sure Okowa is swept out of Government House in 2019. Don’t allow Okowa to divide you. United we, stand divided we fall. The removal of Okowa is a task that must be done and achieved” Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Ahmadu Ali, a Senatorial Aspirant of Delta North Senatorial District said.
Also speaking at the occasion, the chairman of the APC in Delta Central, Chief Adelabu Bojor thanked Senator Obaisi Ovie Omo Agege for the get-together, saying that Urhobos are solidly behind him and whosoever is contesting with him is doing so against the entire Urhobo. He declared that Delta Central is APC and APC is Delta Central.
Present at the occasion were Mr. Valentine Egbe who represented the State Chairman of the party, Prophet Jones Erue, Chief Godwin Ogbetuo, APC State Electoral Committee Chairman and Members, State Woman Leader, Fred Obe, Chris Agaga, Patrick Ighomrore, John Enakhiru, Alex Imarah, Ufuoma Okenini, Chief Itsekor, Barr. Hero Owhirirhen, Chief Ofudje, Chief Francis Aguinigho and all the Councillorship and Chairmanship candidates from across the 25 LGAs.
