By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe
It appears that the political scheming for who becomes the next Chairman or Chairperson of Ethiope East Local Government Council has fully commenced as potential candidates are flooding various party secretariats in Asaba, to pick party nominations forms and to also lobby State and Council LGA officials ahead of party primaries that would eventually determine who becomes parties flag bearers.
Much is not known, at least to this writer, of contenders in other parties especially the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) of those who have collected nomination forms. The APC party is currently mourning the defeat suffered in Ekiti State Governorship election which ousted their government there. Peter Fayose of PDP will be sworn-in in October as Governor. At the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) axis, Tony Oboroh (aka Tony Kess) and Faith Majemite (Oniemo) are two popular candidates who have indicated interest and have also collected nomination forms to contest the party primaries. Interestingly both of them are political pals and have cordial relationship. Mr. Imarah is another potential candidate who political observers say may also run for that office but as at the time of going to press not much has been heard concerning his ambition.
The test of political might and relevance is between Oboroh who happens to be the immediate past elected Chairman of the Council and Faith Majemite, a Special Assistant to Governor Uduaghan on Mass Mobilization in Delta State. The two candidates wield enormous political influence due to their past track records in grassroot politics, especially in Ethiope East Local Government Area. Both have political connections at the state and local government level which is why the LGA PDP party primaries will be an interesting event to watch out for. I will now take on the two candidates separately.
Faith Majemite is a pleasant personality and well know to all PDP Chieftains across Delta State. She is the INIEMO of Agbon Kingdom and can be described as an erudite politician with super pedigree and positive political influence. She has been in the game of politics for a long time and currently serving the second Governor in Delta State from a stretch of over thirteen years. She served in Governor Ibori’s administration and migrated to the Uduaghan administration by cheer hard work and commitment coupled with a very high degree of loyalty to her political bosses and to PDP as a political party.
Mrs. Majemite has put smiles in the faces of her admirers especially the youths and women whom she had emptied her purse to please. Political observers say that she usually inconvenience herself so as to satisfy the immediate need and aspirations of community folks, party faithful and members of her paternal and maternal communities. Today, her name rings a bell in her home town Kokori and in all clans and communities that constitute Agbon Kingdom and beyond. This woman of rare strength of character will certainly be the candidate to watch out for during PDP LGA elections primaries and at the polls.
A peep at her facebook page recently gives one the impression that she has followers from across the length and breadth of Delta State. She has political associates, followers and friends from all the Senatorial Districts and LGAs, an indication that her political career has been without blemish. Back home in Kokori, she is said to have discovered some previously concealed empowerment monies meant for the youths and several of them are now smiling to the banks in hundreds of thousands of naira.
These goodies were hitherto swept under the carpets by some political vampires who consistently short-changed the youths, key supporters and loyalists. Majemite, had to go into Delta State government records to unravel some goodies meant for the youths which were previously either diverted into private pockets or never got to the targeted beneficiaries. The youths had equitable interest in the empowerment packages all along but now have full beneficial interest as they now collect their empowerment due to them on a monthly basis courtesy of the Mrs. Majemite.
This is good news for the youths, isn’t it? But the better news is that she is the first politician or political contender that has outlined her agenda in a document. Her manifesto for this election revolve round skill acquisition for the youths, empowerment, infrastructural development, community cooperative societies and programmes for the women, the elderly and school children within the jurisdiction of the council. She also promises to run a transparent open door policy that will set a high standard in local government administration in Ethiope East as well as collaborate with the State Government to attract huge development to all wards in Ethiope East LGA.
Her closeness to the incumbent governor of the state cannot be ignored in this election. During the last elections in 2011, the Governor won in every polling unit where Mrs Majemite won, which is a clear indication that she worked for herself, the Governor and the party respectively. One good turn they say deserves another. The time is ripe for Governor Uduaghan to pay back and honour Faith Majemite with his enormous support as a loyal and trusted public servant, sister, political associate and dependable party women.
The question is, Can Mrs Majemite undo Chief Oboroh at the party primaries? The answer to this question must generally be left in the realm of character evidence of the two contenders. It will be answered by the party delegates who have the mandate of their ward members to do justice to the process. One thing is sure which is that dolling out large sums of money by unpopular candidates to bribe party leaders and delegates will not work in this election and in 2015 general elections. Our eyes are now opened. The days of “eating crumbs” that falls from the master’s table are over.
Our teaming youths will resist any electoral manipulation and imposition of unpopular candidates on the people. The fearless good people of Ethiope East will resist all kinds of political fraud this time around should any “experienced political vampire and political James Bond” show up to further insult our sensitivity with their worthless political speeches, use of brutal force, coercion and systematic political abragadabra. No face for “eat alone” politicians this time around. They force our youths to drink local gin “ogogoro and stay in hunger” while they “gulp choice Champaign and eat three course meal” daily with their families and crude political associates. Not this time again. This is why the likes of Mrs Majemite must come on board to wipe out the highly evaporated tears of our people in Ethiope East.
PDP as a party will not dare impose any candidate on the people of Ethiope East. The LGA party Chairman, Dr. Kings is aware of the frustrations of our people and will never be party to any imposition of candidate as a result of naira and kobo. He is a man of high pedigree and skillful in party and electioneering politics. The party should therefore conduct a transparent poll based on public opinion as to the candidate the people want before settling down to map out relevant political strategies.
Political observers believes that Mrs. Majemite possess sound credentials and public administrative experience to deliver the much needed dividend of democracy for the already frustrated and vexed people of Ethiope East who have been deprived of substantial development and political relevance by greedy and self centered politicians. They are of the opinion that the time for a paradigm shift is now; time to try a woman of substance who is trusted and loved by the people.
Tony Oboroh, on the other hand, is also well known for his large heart. He knows major techniques and science of hospitality. The Agbon high chief is also known to conjure attention at social events though his extravagant spending, calculated dance steps and good rapport with his peers. He has done well in business and can be described as a middle class businessman who has survived all odds to sustain his business conglomerate. He gave Ethiope East Council a face lift by constructing a befitting Secretariat during his tenure from 2007 to 2011.
He has made several attempts in politics until 2007 when he was eventually elected as Chairman of Ethiope East Local Government Council. Political actors in Ethiope East axis attributed his victory at the polls to the political swag of Hon Sunny Akpodiogaga Emeyese, the current Vice Chairman of International Treaties and Agreements at the Federal House of Representatives. Political analysts say that there is a high degree of political affiliation between the duos, particularly the roles they played in the nursing of the defunct Ethiope East Political Forum (EEPL), a brain child of Honourable Emeyese.
Political observers believe that the rosy relationship between these political associates got fractured and disjointed somewhere along the line. As at today not much has been recorded about their frequent political interactions in terms of attending public political functions together as was the case in the days of EEPF. Some attributed the frosty relationship between them to the dissolution of EEPF while others say it is largely connected to the administrative style of Chief Oboroh which he adopted towards the tail end of his first tenure as Council Chairman.
Political observers say he refused to pay certain contracts awarded to PDP party faithful and supporters who worked for his success at the polls in 2007. It is widely rumoured that the two political leaders are now arms length in political affiliation notwithstanding the fact that they greet and click champagne classes at social events. They are both titled Chiefs in Agbon Kingdom which is why they must continue to maintain decorum far from political intercourse.
As it is today, one is confused as to whether or not Chief Oboroh and Olorogun Emeyese can amend their political differences to team up again for another election. As they say in politics, there is no permanent enemy, only permit interest. If this is impossible, it is therefore clear that Chief Oboroh will no longer depend on Emeyese’s political pressure group to actualize his political ambition this time around. The implication of this is that Oboroh will have to come up with his own political pressure group with membership across all the wards, lobby party leaders from ward level to LGA and State officers of the party to actualize his political ambition.
The question is, can Oboroh succeed politically without the support of Emeyese? The answer is neither here nor there. It is left for this great socialite to mobilize and to rely on his “deep pocket” to bulldoze his way. But some political analysts are of the view that there is the likelihood of Oboroh-Emeyese re-grouping to scuttle the ambition of Faith Majemite. Their political permutations are anchored on the fact that if Chief Majemite gets PDP ticket for the LGA elections and eventually wins, it may further fracture the chances of Emeyese’s return to the House of Representatives to represent Ethiope Federal Constituency in 2015.
For the above reasons, community political watchers are of the view that the lawmaker must of political interest align with Oboroh who is from neighbouring Oruakpo or any other non-Kokori candidate to get the LGA party ticket so as to partially guarantee Emeyese’s return to the National Assembly through well calculated political scheming. However, some political analysts say that it is better for the two men to go their separate ways as they in many ways defer in terms of political pedigree and performance in leadership and governance, for so that the Majemite mandate is already a settled matter and that come October 2014, she will be sworn in as the LGA Council Chairperson. I wish her goodluck as Ethiope East deserves credible leadership in terms of council administration and other forms of political representation. Keep a date next week.
