UDUAGHAN AND HIS RUMOURED DEFECTION : WHY THE HUE?
I care not so much about the rumoured defection of Chief Uduaghan, the immediate past Governor of Delta State. Such was expected anyway, just that it was only a matter of time.
Some might argue that inspite of being an ex- Governors whether there's much to the chequered political history of Chief Uduaghan? Is he anywhere close to those of whom people can confidently classify as political role models?
Remarkably, Uduaghan is no doubt one( as they say of Jonathan) who has had his kernel cracked via the benevolence of the political gods.
From the remote enclosure of Aladja Steel Company as a humble doctor, Emmanuel Uduaghan was graciously picked by Chief Ibori and given a platform under the umbrella which eventually saw him to the highest position in the State. But it's one thing to be BUILT but another to BUILD oneself into a political institution of sort. Indeed, to what extent did Uduaghan adequately utilise his God - given and inherited goodwill?
Let me speak now as a core Anioma son. For me, Uduaghan' s tenure was not so impressive.
I know history will judge him as one who failed to give Asaba it's proper place of honour as the State Headquarters. Nay, not even the bridge he built at Nnebisi Roundabout( painfully and rightly adjudged today as one of the most misplaced bridges in Nigeria) shall assuage his chronic neglect of Anioma Lands.
Moreover, someone might even have dared to ask this too: how well did Uduaghan develop other parts of Delta State, including his Delta South Senatorial District of which he now desperately wishes to represent as Senator? I hear he did not do much either.
In all therefore, I would not like to think of Uduaghan as being afflicted by moral profligacy. An Uduaghan talking of defecting to APC? For what and why?
I heard of the rumoured reasons for his intended defection which basically are first, the fear of EFCC' s probe and second, the likely 'denial' of the PDP Delta South Senatorial ticket.
Of course, an Uduaghan must worry. A man who did not only perform so little despite all the billions of oil revenues( at the time of boom) but further plunged the State into unparalleled indebtedness at the twilight of his administration should expect to always look over his shoulders even when no man is pursueth.
His second reason which bothers on alleged ticket denial is even more bizarre. I wonder whether Uduaghan is now afraid to face delegates and confidently market himself?
If anyone should understand the power of party delegates, it should be Uduaghan himself.At the PDP Guber Primaries, Uduaghan cannot suddenly forget how the delegates overrode him as a sitting Governor by choosing Senator Okowa rather than his prepared and preferred choice(s) because same delegates perhaps understood that Gov Okowa was far more marketable than the other ' anointed' aspirants. That's what it obviously takes to be charismatic!
Hence, rather than run into the APC which has all along seen him as a political dreg, Uduaghan should ensure to test his popularity outside the confines of the advantages and privileges he once enjoyed as a sitting and powerful Governor. More so, he should let the delegates and the electorate be the ones to affirm his desire to serve them and not through any envisaged shenanigans of a Ruling Party.
Furthermore, it is a moral debt for Uduaghan to abandon the PDP which made him what he is today. Abandoning the party which his activities contributed in no small way to the bad image trailing it till now is an indication of political rascality or irresponsibility. Who is he leaving the party for and what different legacies is he eventually bequeathing on the APC?
By and large, I had thought Uduaghan would stoop to learn from Gov Okowa concerning what it is to be a loyal and committed party man.
There he has got the same Gov Okowa whom he persecuted, denigrated and maligned but who resolutely decided to stay behind against all odds in order to become not just his successor but one of the most admired and dogged repairers of the re -branded PDP. Should he not learn from such a man?
Again, I think he should!
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