By Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
As the governorship election draws near with various ethnic nationalities strategizing to produce the next governor of the oil rich Delta state, an Ijaw Chief and notable leader in the state, Chief Favour Ogbyerine-Izoukumor has described the governorship quest by Urhobo nation through its apex socio cultural body, Urhobo Progress Union as “self-centered”.
Chief Ogbeyerine-Izoukumor who is maternally an Urhobo stated this in an open letter to the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) delivered at a press briefing in Warri, he was of the opinion that the leadership of the UPU should rescind its earlier position that Urhobo who are the majority in the state must produced Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan’s successor adding that such hard stance and position is capable of igniting another round of ethnic crisis or violence in the state.
Chief Izoukumor who is also the spokesman to Ogbe-Ijoh Council of Chiefs explained that UPU doesn’t want power to shift because of the large population it command, noting that such a stance or position with regard to the governorship elections in the past and present could be considered by other ethnic nationality as “self -centered, which according to him does not encourage unity in the state.
The spokesman of Ogbe-Ijoh Council of Chiefs added that the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as the flag bearer of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) is an indication that he is the candidate of Deltans and not the candidate of Delta North Senatorial District.
Chief Izoukumor stressed that modern day politics has gone beyond foisting the will of a union on millions of people to support a particular candidate based on ethnic bias, he appealed to the Urhobo umbrella socio-cultural organization to keep it doors open to strengthen unity in the state
He said: “I believe in equity and fair play , what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I’m an ardent believer in rotation of power among the three Senatorial Districts in the state, Delta Central has produced governors for about ten years, Delta South is about to complete its eight years and it’s morally and equitably right for Delta North to produce the next governor to have their fair share.”
“therefore, my humble suggestion to UPU is that Senator Ifeanyi Okowa should be viewed as the candidate of Deltans, like millions of Deltans have considered him to be. Again, the UPU should rescind its previous decision to sanction members who gave their supports to the PDP because such decision does not help us as a nation,” said Chief Izoukumor.
He however assured that the current political structure ahead of February 2015 election would guarantee stability and equity to all ethnic nationalities in the state.
Chief Favour Ozoukumor is not sincere because the Ijaws have President Goodluck Jonathan as the current president who is also seeking re-election yet the same Ijaws have also forced Dr. Okowa to pick an Ijaw as his running mate. As if that is not enough, Senator James Manager who has been in the Senate since 2003 has also picked the senatorial ticket in Delta South Senatorial District under the PDP to contest the election in 2015. The question now is,are there only Ijaws in the Niger Delta and Delta State? The position of deputy governor was zoned to Isoko in Delta State but the Ijaws used power to take it from the Isokos while they also aspire to produce the senator that will represent the Delta South Senatorial District. Is this fair, Chief Ozoukumor? You want the rest of Niger Delta people to support the re-election of President Jonathan but you don’t want to concede any positions to other tribes in Delta State, is this right?