DELTA GUBER POLLS: OMO-AGEGE IS NOT TO BLAME!

By Annabel Ogheneganre

Since after the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections in Delta State, a section of the Delta State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has been neck-deep in blame game over the outcome of the polls.

The election, no doubt depleted the popularity rating of Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, the man that goes with the sobriquet of the Peoples General. Of the 25 local government areas in Delta State, the APC candidate was able to win just in Ughelli North and Ethiope East.

The rest 23 local government areas were captured by the PDP which posted a whopping 925,274 votes while Great Ogboru got just 215,938 with a margin of 709,336. The outcome was shocking to the APC family particularly the common folks which constituted the bulk of his supporters.

2019 was the worst outing for Great Ogboru since he entered the race in 2003. Despite the line-up of political heavyweights that dominated his campaign structure, Great Ogboru poor performance has continued to generate unsavory comments from his supporters who are seeking whom to blame for the development.

And what is trending in most of the social media comments is accusing fingers being pointed in the direction of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as one who is responsible for Ogboru’s woes.

One thing that Ogboru’s supporters cannot deny is that it was Senator Ovie Omo-Agege’s contacts and connections that secured the gubernatorial ticket for the Abraka-born politician.

Omo-Agege, from inside sources, spent a fortune to rally the APC behind Ogboru. He made so many enemies to ensure Ogboru was in the ballot. He fought local foes and others on the national scene to get Ogboru on board.

Omo-Agege did everything within and outside the books to pave way for him. The scares of the battle he fought to deliver Ogboru are still fresh and the least one expect from party faithful and leaders is blame instead of commendation for entering the trenches in a selfless manner in the interest of the common folks who have been clamouring for a better and stronger platform for Ogboru.

Omo-Agege saw in the people, the fire and thirst to fight to any level to deliver Ogboru. He did not promise to single-handedly be in all the 25 local government areas to win votes for Ogboru. His major concern was to provide a platform, backed by federal might for Ogboru to run with.

He did just that and expected everybody to retire home and deliver their respective units for Ogboru.

Just as Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor gave marching order for his supporters and political office holders to ensure they deliver in their respective units, Omo-Agege expected those so empowered to work in their units to deliver same for Ogboru.

Therefore, one is at a lost why Omo-Agege has suddenly become the man who failed to deliver for Ogboru whereas, the man fought all the demons in the PDP family to a standstill in Ughelli north and delivered all available elective positions in his local government area for the APC.

From the President, Senate, Governor, House of Representatives and House of Assembly, all the APC candidates won in Ughelli North local government area. How then did the man betray APC, much more, Great Ogboru, in the last general elections?

As we all know, Ughelli north is the home to the Secretary to the State Government, Chief Ovie Agas; Commissioner for Finance, Chief David Edevbie; Former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Steve Oru; DESOPADEC Commissioner, Chief Pius Ovbije; Chairman of the local government, Coach Tete, who is PDP, 20 Councillors who are PDP, over 70 Special Assistants to the Governor, Board members, and other political office holders with a marching order to deliver their units, yet Omo-Agege was able to fight through the fire to secure a handsome victory for Ogboru.

The likes of Dr Isaac Akpoveta, Chief Barr Asawota, are all from Ughelli North yet Omo-Agege delivered. So why blame him for fighting so hard for the party? Did he at anytime promise to deliver the entire state for Ogboru?

 It was a difficult fight in Ughelli north one yet he delivered. If other APC leaders across Delta state did close to what Omo-Agege did, Ogboru would have been governor-elect today.

While this writer will not subscribe to the blame game, one area that we cannot ignore is the failure of APC chieftains in their respective local government areas.

First on the list of those that one must interrogate is Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, former governor of Delta state who did three elections against Great Ogboru, and ended up being Chairman of Ogboru Campaigns Council for the 2019 polls.

He is from Warri North and failed woefully. Was anybody expecting Omo-Agege to deliver Warri North for Ogboru?

Septuagenarian Abbei Ossai, Chief Great Ogboru's running mate in the election from Abbey, Ukwuani local government area, lost in his unit, ward and local government, yet Omo-Agege is to blame. Why?

 What of Chief George Timinimi,  Ogboru's Campaign Director General from Warri South West in Gbaramatu kingdom lost in his local government, and could not stop the Sokoto votes from that end, yet Omo-Agege is to blame. Sir Richard Odibo, a Federal Commissioner with the National Population Commission and Great Ogboru’s man Friday, a man who had served as DG to Ogboru in previous polls and one of the closest allies to the Peoples General could not deliver Udu for Ogboru.

 Is Omo-Agege to blame for the failure? How about Mr. Peter Omaruaye, Chief Ogboru's Campaign Organization’s Secretary from Gbaregolor, Ughelli south local government area, in Ewu ward 2?

He lost his ward and his local government to the rampaging PDP.   Prince Efe Duku, Chief Ogboru's right hand man is also from Ughelli south with Peter Omaruaye. They lost big time. Chief Ayiri Emami, the Ologbosere of Warri Kingdom, one of Ogboru's trusted political forces who boasted in an interview that it was over for Okowa, could not deliver also. Yet somebody want Omo-Agege to answer for Ogboru’s bashing at the polls.

Other leaders who disappointed Ogboru include Mrs. Amokwu Harriet, the Director of Finance for Ogboru campaigns from Ika South in Delta North who is credited with the honour of having singlehandedly selecting all the APC candidates from Delta North in the election, yet could not deliver.

A source within the party disclosed that Mrs Amokwu Harriet was so powerful that whatever agreement one had with Ogboru could be overturned in a minute once this powerful woman from Delta north disagree.

Yet she could not deliver her local government area for Ogboru. Alero Tenuma, Ogboru's Director of Women Mobilization from Warri south lost in her local government area too. She was overrun with merciless ferocity. Dr Cairo Ojugboh, who boasted that Okowa was already history a few days to the elections could not deliver his Ika South for Ogboru yet somebody is blaming Omo-Agege. Why? Is Omo-Agege to blame for the failure of these leaders? What of Chief Enuha, who announced prior to the polls that they have joined forces with Ogboru to deliver the state for APC? Would they have credited Omo-Agege with anything if they had delivered in their respective local government areas?

Information before me says that as soon as Ogboru emerged as the party flag-bearer, Omo-Agege was almost edged out of the inner working of the campaigns. All the directors were picked without consultation with the Senator yet he did not complain. With Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in charge of campaigns, he was contented with working for the party and delivering handsomely in his local government area. And that was exactly what he did. Ogboru picked those he trusted to man strategic positions in building the campaign structure, picked his running mate without consultation with the Senator which almost soured their relationship but for the understanding and maturity demonstrated by Omo-Agege. The much touted federal might was available to all APC leaders yet they could not deliver. Most campaign meetings were held in Emmanuel Uduaghan’s residence. A water-tight plan was put in place but many failed to execute the strategy. Is Omo-Agege to blame for the failure of these leaders?

Politics is a very complex and complicated affair. If Ogboru had won, credit would have gone to Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan as an award-winning Chairman of Campaign Council. Now that they have failed, they should take responsibility for the woeful performance instead of blaming the only man who delivered in his local government area. Blaming Omo-Agege for the failure is a despicable political misadventure. Dr Ifeanyi Okowa’s victory at the polls cannot be attributed to any one person. The PDP leaders delivered in their respective local government areas. They were determined. They knew what they were up against and fought like never before. In the PDP circle, nothing was left to chance. Unlike Great Ovedje Ogboru and the Delta APC Campaign Council, the PDP campaigned like never before. They took their campaigns to all the nooks and cranny of the state. The PDP campaign was thorough and unit-driven. They knew what the loss of federal might portends and therefore resolved to win in the field by connecting the people and promoting popular programmes that appeal to the people. Omo-Agege is not responsible for Ogboru’s woes. When you failed to deliver your unit and ward, you want to blame Ovie Omo-Agege. Why?

While this writer does not subscribe to blame game, leaders who could not deliver their units and LGA should be blamed for Ogboru’s dismal performance. Omo-Agege delivered handsomely and should be applauded. The two APC House of Assembly candidates from Ughelli north won. What else did the party expect from Omo-Agege that he did not do? He got himself so many enemies at home and abroad all because of Ogboru. In the opinion of this writer, whoever loves APC in Delta state should desist from blaming Omo-Agege, the hard-fighting political maestro, the real ‘Omovodjotu’ of Delta politics, a single combatant that vanquished many, the nemesis of the PDP family in Ughelli north and Delta Central and the Obarisi of Delta politics. He knows the game. He dreams and lives the game. He delivered where others fail. Rather than blame him, the distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege deserves commendation.  

Annabel Ogheneganre writes from Garki, Abuja. (09030558731 SMS only or ananabel4christ@hotmail.com)