DELTA STATE GOVERNORSHIP RACE 2015 IS FOR QUALITY POLITICIANS AND NOT FOR ANY POLITICAL JUNKY

Elder (Dr.) Chukwuma O. Nwaonicha (Big Daddy)

I’m using this occasion to congratulate Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for his successful political declaration for the next Delta State Governorship race. Without a doubt, the difference is clear between the Senator and the rest of the contestants in the Governorship race in Delta State. The Senator is the very best among others in the race and it is a matter of time, Government house is certain for the Senator. During his speech, the Senator noted that going along the line there are challenges of peace in the State, poverty reduction, job creation for the youths and infrastructural development among other issues, which he said, are some of his top priorities. I’m very certain that Deltans without a doubt shall benefit from the Senator’s administration as the Governor of Delta State. Many thanks to the organizers of the occasion for a job well done. The occasion was attended by the movers and the shakers of Delta State politics among other dignitaries including the mammoth crowd. Any contestant that is not comfortable with the present development and believes he or she is just “hanging in there” should join force with the Senator for a better tomorrow. In other words, before it is too late as your courage will be appreciated by the Senator and his supporters.

There are several opportunities for young people (as indicated by the Senator) who will dare to dream big, work smart and work hard towards actualizing their dreams with Godly principles. There are many youths who are short-changing themselves from their God-given talents and opportunities because they lack self-discipline, foresight, ideas, vision and goals for themselves. The senator is prepared to address these issues retarding youths’ progress. The three criteria globally used to measure preference for a leader are competence, integrity and acceptability. Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa got them all and today the Senator is acceptable to the generality of Deltans. I pray that PDP thinks big and wise by nominating Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as its flag bearer in Delta State for the Governorship election come 2015. The party stakeholders should learn from experience and not through the hard way. That is, PDP should not repeat what happened in Edo State, the ball is in the court of PDP. The party should take advantage of it.

In another note, with all due respect to you, Governor (Dr.) Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, I believe that you are a little bit confused about the choice of Delta State Governorship candidate for the next election. You have made many choices as to that effect and Deltans may not take you seriously any more. Hence you have to be neutral in the Governorship race or you support/anoint the rightful candidate. Majority of Deltans advise that the Governor should not support or promote a non-politician or a political junky. They advised that the Governor should go for a political heavyweight and a political big fish. To be specific, they advised that the Governor should support Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. I sincerely believe that their advice and my suggestion will be politically advantageous to the Governor political career. I wish the Governor the best in your political endeavor.

In addition, I’m using this opportunity to thank the NWC Members and the PDP national chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu for holding on to their position about the imposition of Governorship candidate on any State. Many thanks to Alhaji Adamu Muazu for trying to achieve his goal of restoring the lost glory of the PDP. Also, the proposed swapping of positions by Governors and their respective Senatorial District Senator is undemocratic and will not work. I’m one hundred and ten percent sure this proposal will not work in Delta State. The PDP Governors should be ashamed of themselves as imposition of any candidate on the people is very undemocratic and will create faction in the party.

In my sincere and honest opinion, Delta State Governorship Race – 2015 is for quality politicians and not for any political junky. It will be based on proven personality and integrity issues and not through imposition of Governorship candidate. The race will not be based on the fact that Delta State is predominantly a PDP State or through empty boasting by some aspirants and Government appointees that cannot even win the party nomination in their local government. These aspirants or Government appointees are only trying to make themselves relevant – that is the beauty of democracy. However, some of these aspirants are using the platform as money making venture for themselves by staying put or hanging on, knowing fully well that they are going nowhere. This is purely a personal and selfish interest on the part of these aspirants; they are deceivers (to themselves and to the general public) and they are big time failures. In addition, as I observed, 2015 election in Delta State is not for politicians that are proud and cannot be reached, rude, arrogant, unscrupulous, mischief makers, pathological liars and evil doers. As noted the quality of a good politician is often backed by leadership skills, experiences, intelligence and integrity - all combined to achieve certain goals for the advancement and empowerment of the masses. Therefore, the best quality of a politician is honesty, God fearing, trustworthy and reliability. I challenged Governor (Dr.) Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, the PDP Chairman in Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Ighomena and other Delta State Stakeholders on the choice of the next Delta State Governor that will make Deltans proud.

Unfortunately, many of the aspirants for the Governorship race in Delta State never sound like a leader in my opinion and they do not have the qualities that make a good leader. Majority of them play politics of ethnic divide and are not ready to work with all Deltans. They believe in parochial leadership, which is not good for the State. Most of the aspirants believe in campaigns of bitterness, rancor and calumny. Delta State Governorship race requires a leader that is devoid of ethnic sentiments, a leader that will unite rather than divide the state, a leader that advocates for a social welfare scheme for the weak and unemployed in the State and believes that the challenge of every democracy is to prove to its citizens that it has the capacity to respond to the challenges of governance, a leader that has respect for the elders, widows, youths and constituted authorities. It requires a leader with human management skills. Most of the aspirants lack these qualities. Zoning or no zoning it will be a contest and whoever emerges with the highest votes will be the party’s candidate. However, zoning arrangement should be seriously considered for fairness, justice and equity but where it does not happen due to marginalization, then let the chips fall where they may. The Delta State Governorship election will not be given on a Platter of gold or due to emotional feelings from some quarters. In other words, success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold but the political system in the State should be in such a manner to command the respect of all Deltans, that is, it should be fair, just and equitable.

As the saying goes, one does not benefit from where he or she does not sow. Based on the above saying, it is not surprising to me why many people are panicking, fidgeting or scared about their choice of aspirant. Perhaps their choice is not a good politician or he/she is a newcomer with a horrible political shortcomings. I do not support an aspirant based on emotional issues or sentiments (religion, senatorial district, local Government or tribe) but purely the quality of the individual or aspirant and what he or she can achieve for Deltans.

I believe that the PDP Stakeholders and the juggernauts of Delta State politics should listen to the voice of the people because the voice of the people is the voice of God. As noted, the people (majority of Deltans) have made up their mind and their choice is Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. I do not expect responsible and respectable loyal PDP members to challenge this wholesome acceptance and endorsement of the Senator by majority of Deltans because he is more popular and more credible than any other Governorship aspirant in the State. Deltans are prepared to give the Senator their one hundred and ten percent votes. All these newcomers, non-politicians, errand boys and/or politicians without a political network of accomplices that cut across the strata of Delta State are spoilers, wasting their time and are going nowhere.

PDP stakeholders and loyalists that are pushing very hard for Delta State to remain PDP State; should note that it shall materialized by picking a good and marketable individual as the PDP Governorship flag bearer at the primary and not through imposition of any candidate on Deltans (from the House of Assemble to the Federal House of Representatives and to the Governorship race). As a Delta State indigene, a Patriotic Leader and a PDP Stalwart from Ika South Local Government, that is my honest and sincere opinion. Imposition of the Governorship candidate on Deltans will create division and faction in the party, which will ultimately lead to the fall of PDP in the State. Also, the imposition of a Governorship candidate on Deltans could lead to the cobra effect and the cobra effect occurs when an attempted solution to a problem (which may be a political problem, social problem, economic problem or financial cover up, among other problems) actually makes the problem worse. Any imposition of an aspirant as the Governorship candidate by a single individual may be disastrous to the party. I do believe that electing Senator Okowa as the PDP flag bearer is the answer or solution to the political, social and economic challenges confronting Delta State. Therefore, the way forward for PDP stakeholders in Delta State is to pick a marketable and winning candidate at the primary and I strongly believe Senator Okowa shall be the choice of the delegates.

Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is a seasoned and an astute politician, a highly placed individual that will promote unity among Delta State ethnic divide. Only Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa rightfully stands out among other Aspirants in Delta State. According to George Orwell (Animal Farm), all animals are equal but some are more equal. There comes Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. He is the best among PDP’s first elven, that is; the best among the best when it comes down to loyalty, credibility, reliability, professionalism, personality, integrity, management, leadership and empowerment among others. He is more detailed, more thorough and more liberal as opposed to other aspirants or candidates. His candidacy is about lifting Deltans out of poverty into prosperity.

The Senator is a grassroots politician; he is focused, experienced and has a very good track record, and he is more on ground than any other Aspirant in any party in Delta State. He is selfless, more compassionate and more reasonable in terms of leadership and management skills. He is an embodiment of loyalty, hardworking and transparent, who should be emulated by all well-meaning Daltans.

The PDP Chairman in Delta State, Chief Emmanuel Ighomena will go a long way in his political endeavor if PDP maintains its sustainability in leadership in Delta State. I know for sure that PDP cannot afford to lose Delta State to another political party by picking a wrong and non-marketable Governorship candidate at the primary; perhaps through imposition of a Governorship candidate on Deltans. As noted by Deltans and Delta State political class, the Delta State Governorship race is for quality politicians and not for any yes-man, errand boy and/or non-politician that have no political structure in Delta State even in their Local Governments. Governor (Dr.) Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan should resist an attempt to pick a yes-man, an errand boy and/or a non-politician, and go for a politician with competence, excellent management and leadership skills. Any attempt to pick a yes-man, an errand boy and/or a non-politician is an insult and a slap on the face of Delta State PDP members, Delta State political class and Deltans.



I sincerely believe the Governor should be neutral than to support or anoint a wrong candidate. As stated by many PDP stakeholders, there are dangers of imposing people against the interest of consistent and loyal members of the party who have suffered for the party for the sake of being the flag-bearer of PDP on executive level. Also, the PDP stakeholders warned that acts of imposition of candidates on PDP is absolutely adverse and negative to democratic principles and ideology, adding that democracy must be seen as an avenue through which people choose and decide who will govern or rule them in elections that are free and fair. I therefore, urged Deltans to vote out any yes-man, an errand boy and/or a non-politician at the primary elections to secure their future. The era of Dark Horse is over because the politics of yesterday is not the politics of today and will not be the politics of tomorrow.

As I have stated many times, the next Delta State Governorship Race will be based on proven personality, integrity and popularity issues, and not by promoting any aspirant that has political shortcomings. That is, the delegates should pick a good and marketable individual as the PDP Governorship candidate at the primary. A good and marketable candidate is like a good product, it’s liked by all. Therefore, let PDP go for the best Governorship candidate. Promoting a bad candidate is like marketing a bad product, no matter the marketing strategy employed, it don’t sell because the product is not good, not appealing and not credible to the public. The PDP can produce a credible Governor in the next election to build and promote a stronger and united Delta State predicated on justice, equity and fair play.

 I call a spade by its proper name and Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa is currently the finest administrators among the candidates contesting for the Delta State Governorship in the next election, irrespective of their political affiliations. He has excellent work ethic and interpersonal skills. The Senator has the charm, brilliance, competence, compassion, loyalty and patriotism every Governor must have to succeed. He is accepted as a friend at home and abroad. His political network of accomplices cut across the strata of Delta State and beyond. However, as the saying goes, when the wind blows, the anus of the fowl will be seen because the Senator shall be the choice of Deltans.

During the ongoing Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa political networking and consultation tour in which he has visited twenty two local governments of the State, and during his declaration speech the Senator told the PDP members and Deltans that they should support the President because he (the Senator) wholeheartedly is supporting Mr. President second term in office. The Senator told Deltans to vote en masse for Mr. President come 2015 election so that Mr. President could get the over two million registered votes in Delta State. In addition, the Senator advised Deltans to remain solidly behind the Federal Government in its Transformation Agenda. What a devoted and loyal Senator, Bravo!

Furthermore, in his declaration speech, the Senator urged the delegates to always use their votes wisely as their votes were not for sale and any act to make their votes a mercantile affair will be inimical to internal democracy of our political party and political dispensation. The Senator thanks Nigerians and Deltans, and wishes them well.

As always, you’re Blessed.