Delta 2019: Orodje, Okpe leaders strike deal with Okowa for 2023 Guber

…To return Okowa for Okpe’s 2023 Guber agenda

 …Okowa to groom Augoye, Works Commissioner, to take over from him

 …Okpe will return Okowa come 2019, Oyovbaire, Akpeki

 

By Shedrack Onitsha

---

Ahead of 2019 governorship elections in Delta Sate, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom and Okpe leaders from the two council areas of Okpe and Sapele across party divide have struck a deal with the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to re-elect him for a second term in office.

It was gathered that Okowa at the end of his administration will in turn support Okpe’s quest to produce his successor come 2023.

Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency is the only constituency in Delta Central Senatorial District since the creation of Delta State from the then Bendel State that is yet to produce a governor in Urhobo land.

ADVOCATE reliably gathered that as part of the deal, the Okpe people, in Sapele and Okpe local government areas of the state, have agreed to massively mobilise for Governor Okowa’s re-election in the event that an Urhobo clinches the ticket of opposition All Progressives Congress in the state.

The plot according to sources is to ensure that the governor wins at least five local council areas in Delta central. Political pundits described the move as a perfect tactics to crumble the aspiration of the opposition APC to wrestle power from the PDP in 2019.

No doubt, the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Majesty, Orhue 1, is one of the closest traditional rulers in the state to Okowa even before his emergence as a governor in 2015. A prominent Okpe chief and former Minister of Information, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, is the political godfather of the governor.

It was further gathered that Governor Okowa in line with the pack is already grooming the current Commissioner for Works in the state, Chief James Augoye as his possible successor on the expiration of his second term in office.

According to a prominent Okpe leader in Sapele who spoke to ADVOCATE but pleaded for anonymity, the leaders arrived at the choice of Augoye whom is close to the governor and has performed credibly well as Commissioner for Works.

The source hinted further that as part of the deal, Chief Augoye will be made the Secretary to the State Government in the coming dispensation, to expose him on the inner workings of government, like what Chief James Ibori did to Uduaghan who did same with Okowa.

“Okpe producing the next governor after Governor Okowa is a settled case, this is not about political party, it’s about equity, fairness and justices for the Okpe nation as the only federal constituency that is yet to produce governor of the state,” the source stated.

The source who is a prominent chief from the kingdom, said: “To tell you how serious this issue is, our reverend monarch, HRM Orhue I, the Orodje of Okpe kingdom is taking the front row in the drive for the actualization of Okpe governorship come 2023.

“This is one of the reasons the likes of Chief Charles Obule who before now had retired from politics before now, came back and Chief Felix Anirah as well as other political heavy weights retraced their steps back to the PDP in order to have a united front and to mobilize the needed recourses for the project.”

Confirming the position of the Okpe people on the need to reelect Governor Okowa come 2019, former minister for information, Chief Sam Oyovbaire who is popularly referred to as “Godfather” to Governor Okowa, said: “With due respect to the past two governors of the state, Okpe has never had it this good.

“I can count on my fingertips projects numbering 6 to 8 being embarked on by the present administration in Okpe and Sapele local government areas.”

On the aspiration of producing an Okpe governor come 2023, Oyovbaire who is also the chairman, Delta State Elders and Leaders council, said: “I am not aware leaders of Okpe and Sapele have met to take that decision but we know as a matter of fact that projects are ongoing.

“We have never had them before, secondly appointment in various areas we have never had it as we have it now, including security. We are a relatively peaceful people and the security of a community is anchored largely for the way governance is conducted, so the people of Okpe are very pleased with His Excellence’s performance.

“I can speak on behalf of myself, and mainly other leaders that His Excellence should be duly supported wholly without reservation for a second tenure.

“For Okpe Constituency in the State House of Assembly, we have also decided that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori should return as our representative for 2019.”

Also speaking, former Chief of Staff to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, empahsised that the people of the area will overwhelmingly support Okowa’s re-election in 2019.

In his words, “As far as I am concerned, we are supporting and returning Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for second term come 2019. And what that means is that since am from Sapele and Okpe local government areas, I would be working hard on behalf of my people to ensure that the governor is returned back in office for a second term come 2019.”