Not a few feathers have been ruffled since Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan ‘tactically’ declared his intention to contest the National Assembly election billed for February 14, 2015 to represent Delta South Senatorial District at the senate with this leading to a soar relationship between the Governor and Senator James Manager.
Senator James Manager, an Ijaw, had been in the senate since 2003.
At a press briefing at the new Government House, Asaba, on Thursday, January 9, 2014 Governor Uduaghan made it clear that he has the right to contest for the Delta South Senatorial seat.
Governor Uduaghan had said there was an unwritten zonal arrangement among the different ethnic nationalities in Delta South, stressing that such rotational arrangement favours the Itsekiri ethnic nationality where he hails from.
But is seems that James Manager is about rocking the boat of the “unwritten zonal arrangement” as those close to him are saying that he is fully in the 2015 Delta South Senatorial race.
A reliable source told National Reformer on telephone from Abuja that; “Our leader has not told us that he is not going back to the senate. Has he said it openly that he is not contesting against Governor Uduaghan? Those of us close to the serving senator are aware that he is preparing for the February 14, 2015 National Assembly Election.”
“Now if he is not going back to the senate next year, what is the position of the Ijaws in Delta State politics in 2015? As far as I am concerned, Senator James Manager is going to run for the Delta South senatorial race against Governor Uduaghan,” our source said.
The source added that, “Up till now, President Goodluck Jonathan still do not trust Governor Uduaghan and so he will prefer Senator James Manager an Ijaw man to remain in the senate to Governor Uduaghan. Do not be deceived, Senator James Manager, is deeply in the senatorial race as he do not believe in that “unwritten zonal arrangement” people are talking about between the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri and nobody can stop the serving senator from seeking re-election next year.”
But a political pressure group, Stabilizing Factor Campaign Organization, comprising the Ijaw, Isoko and Itsekiri are mounting serious pressure on Governor Uduaghan to run for senate.
At a recent press briefing in Warri, the group advised people of Delta South Senatorial District to beg the governor to pick the senatorial ticket.
General co-ordinator of Stabilizing Factors Campaign Organization, Mr. Victor Agbateyiniro, while responding to a question on if Senator James Manager or a candidate from the Isoko area decided to contest the February 14th, 2015 National Assembly election said that; “he is free to contest; there is nothing wrong with it if he decided not to honour the unwritten zonal arrangement. It is democracy and he has the right to seek re-election; but it is left for the voters to decide on that day. But it is crystal clear that Governor Uduaghan possesses the best leadership credentials in the race for the Delta South Senatorial District in 2015.”
