Zik Gbemre

When a people are ready to turn a blind eye to what is evidently wrong in their society, then that society as a whole will suffer the decay over time in governance, accountability, morality and upright values. Many stakeholders in Delta State have, sadly, become a set of people who have smeared their conscience with hot iron, especially in the face of what is evidently wrong. Like we have repeatedly said, there was no proper and credible Gubernatorial election in Delta State on March 9th, 2019. What we had was a situation where elections were seen to be going in favour of the State’s opposition APC, and suddenly the ruling PDP in the State with their hired armed PDP thugs, hijacked the Electoral process and forcefully maneuvered the outcome of the election. At the end of the day, the final election results were simply written and announced with the collaboration of compromised INEC Officials and the Delta State PDP.

Regardless, all hope is not lost because this captivity, which Deltans have been subjected to for about two decades now by some selected few, will have to change at all cost. We simply cannot continue like this as a people. This was the message and clarion call to Deltans that came forth recently from Great Ovedje Ogboru, in his appreciation to Deltans and plans to reclaim his stolen mandate from Okowa, during a press briefing at his Abraka country home, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

Having appreciated Deltans in the said brief press briefing, for the massive support given to him and his party the APC, Ogboru noted how: “unfortunately, as we all have seen, the ruling party in the State was not prepared for the election, and they made it impossible for the franchise of the people and the mandate of the people to be declared. I promised you a few weeks ago that we shall be in the global arena to address these issues. Well, since the past few weeks, we have been filing our petition to challenge the illegalities committed by the PDP, and its leaders in Delta State on 9th March, 2019, I believe that God is on our side, and that situation will surely be reversed. Let me use this opportunity to tell ALL DELTANS, that HOPE IS LOST, THEY SHOULD NOT DESPAIR, THEY SHOULD NOT FRET, but they should be in prayers because with God all things are possible.

“This is one injustice that we think will not stand. May I admonish quickly that Deltans must begin to search their conscience, and begin to ask themselves questions. A situation where in few communities in the riverine areas have continued to determine the fate of the people of Delta State, is one that should begin to make us to know that something is not right in this State.

“I think going forward, that is something we must address, if not, we will continue to have this problems in Delta State. Which is to say, that elections in Delta State will not be free, will not be fair, and will not be credible. I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the leaders of those communities in particular, that they should rise up to the challenge of being socially responsible. Knowing that they are living in a community of ethnic nationalities. And that is, this can longer continue. Going forward, we have to come up with a strategy, to make sure that the correct things and the proper they are being done in Delta State.

“Delta State belongs to all of us, not just some persons. When people cannot, at will, and with impunity decide to plunder the State, and to take laws into their hands… and imposing things on the people of Delta State. Having said that, once again, I want to say thank you all to Deltans…”

We have always advocated for good governance in Delta State, which has sadly been truncated by James Ibori and his few persons, over the years. This has left Delta State people in a state of captivity and slavery in the last two decades. It is this narrative that we must all strive to change. Ignorance of this fact will cause deltans more underdevelopment, hardship and poverty of majority of Deltans. Mere wishful thinking and pretence will never end bad governance in Delta State. For any Change to take place in a society, it has to be driven by someone or a group of people. Nothing happens by chance or coincidence. Deltans need to rise up if they really want to be free from this captivity engineered by some few. It is even more painful and disheartening that some so-called educated elites are comfortable about the deplorable state of Delta State, as they turn blind eyes and deaf ears to the things that are going wrong.

If Deltans do not free the State from the grip of these few politicians, no stranger will do it for us. Why should we be carefree and be ignorant about the facts before us, as regard the just concluded Gubernatorial election in the State? How can few riverine communities with scanty population have more votes than the urban densely populated towns and cities? How can they be allowed to continue using this deception and trickery to determine the fate of Deltans for years. Is Governor Okowa’s victory a genuine victory that should be celebrated? Obviously not!

In this 21st century, all of this is still being allowed to happen in Delta State, and an educated person is comfortable with it. With the usual disgusting language that: “Na so ebi.” What sort of ignorance and stupidity do we call that? Cheating on the people, is it a sign of strength in the name of being a politician? I will continue to say it the way I see it in Delta State, no matter who and what is involved? Some ignorant people will always say I am a trouble maker because I tell them the hard facts, just the way I see it. Ibori and his few politicians have stolen the mandate of good governance in this State, and it has to change. Ibori and his friends should not think it is a sign of political power and strength when they are oppressing the people and refusing their true votes to count.

These desperate Delta State politicians of the PDP stock, should realize that power is transient. They cannot be there forever, and nobody lives forever. So, when these desperate politicians would realize that life and its ephemeral things are not permanent, then they would act more cautiously in their quest to remain in power. But that being said, they would all one day pay for all the sins and atrocities they have committed against the people of Delta State. The saddest and most painful part in all of this is that majority of our people have not wised up one bit, to see things differently, and condemn such nonsense exhibited by the PDP camp in Delta State. Well, that is about to change because Change is Constant in everything in life.

Zik Gbemre.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)

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