OKOWA CAN'T STOP ANYBODY FROM CONTESTING OFFICE OF GOVERNOR

My Dear Fejiro Oliver,

I have read your article titled "IJAW DIEHARD QUEST FOR DELTA GOVERNMENT HOUSE: CAN OKOWA BE TRUSTED?"

First let me tell you that politics has always been a game of divergent interests. Yes, it is a common knowledge that there is an unwritten agreement within the Delta PDP to rotate power within the three senatorial districts, its implementation has never been by the administrative fiat of the sitting Governor.

If you go back to history, you will recall that aspirants and candidates from all three Senatorial districts have contested the Governorship from 1999 to date. It is the right of any citizen so qualified to contest for the office of the Governor, irrespective of where he or she hails from.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has no right under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to order any interested aspirant not to contest simply because he or she didn't come from where the position was zoned to.

Your call therefore on Governor Okowa to come out and openly direct all stakeholders to work for the interest of an Urhobo Governor at this time is preposterous and laughable as it is against all democratic norms to do so.

The Governor emerged from a free and fair party primaries and going by his stand in the last general elections where the state organised free and fair primaries for all aspirants in the party, he will not renege from that trajectory.

I, therefore, urge you to stop getting unnecessarily worried by aspirants jostling for the office of the Governor from other Senatorial districts other than Delta Central because it has always been the case. Let your kinsmen gird their loins and work hard to get the party ticket as it has always been contested for by politicians from other senatorial district including Delta Central.

Amidst the ‘unwritten rotation’, there is no where it was also subsequently written that other aspirants from other senatorial districts should not test their popularity and strength. Moreso, the puzzle over which district produces the next governorship candidate of the PDP just few months into the second term of the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa becomes unnecessary and deliberate attempt to use politics to divide peace loving Deltans.

Happy New Year my brother.

Nelson Egware