By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe Esq #sheriffied

The endorsement of Olorogun David Edevbie was rejected across the state, and in Delta Central Senatorial District by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on the ground that it amounts to undue interference and gross illegality for Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to dabble uninvited into the internal electioneering affairs of the party.

It was further condemned and rejected by several Urhobo groups and political pressure groups across the three senatorial districts because UPU did not state any convincing criteria for Edevbie’s adoption other than the recommendations by two notable Urhobo leaders in Ethiope West Local Government Area.

For example, Edevbie cannot speak the Urhobo language and has always distanced himself from all UPU events and activities in the past. He bluntly refused to deploy his monumental financial resources and overblown intellectual capacity to advance the course of UPU and the Urhobo nation. He is a lone ranger to the core.

It has been argued that Edevbie is not the only Urhobo son who served the state as Commissioner and not the only technocrat among the governorship aspirants from Delta Central.

Debbie was brought from the UK to serve the Ibori administration in1999, and he was also drafted to Late President Musa Ya’adua’s presidential campaign by his political godfather, and subsequently lobbied for him to be appointed as Principal Secretary to late Nigeria’s President. We know the rest of the story.

Debbie was not the best among Urhobo technocrats for the job, it was his relationship with Chief James Ibori that took him to the Presidency, and unfortunately, the President eventually died. Today, Debbie is arrogating all the achievements of Ya’adua’s administration to himself and we don’t know why this is so. He also took all the glory of Ibori’s years in government, but could not shine in Okowa’s administration. The difference is clear.

The point to be made here is that Edevbie’s self-acclaimed competence and experience have not in any way been reflected in the progress of UPU and the Urhobo nation. Whatever he acquired and accumulated in the past years is his wealth, some of which he now deploys to fund his controversial governorship ambition. He is not a giver and never empowered anybody in the Urhobo nation, except his relatives and inlaws in southwest Nigeria.

More importantly, the majority of Oja R’Urhobo 2023 emergency lobby group are not known members of PDP, except David Edevbie. It is unreasonable and unacceptable for a political pressure group that is not affiliated with PDP to force a governorship aspirant on the party.

There are known members of the APC among those who signed the Oja R’Urhobo Vanguard Newspaper Advertorial of Tuesday 10th May 2022. The daughter or stepdaughter of one of the signatories, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, is current a House of Representatives aspirant under APC. She too is an APC member and a strong supporter of APC sole governorship aspirant in Delta State.

It is indeed a funny scenario to see APC members signing Advertorial endorsing PDP governorship aspirants. What’s going on here? Can somebody tell Deltans what kind of game is going on here?

Debbie is a member of PDP and he knows the electioneering processes leading to the emergence of the PDP Guber candidate. He knows that on May 23, 2022, delegates of our party will vote to elect the party candidate, and whoever pulls the highest number of delegates’ votes becomes PDP’s candidate in Delta State. No more, no less.

It follows that the revalidation of Edevbie’s UPU endorsement by Oja R’ Urhobo via newspaper advertorials amounts to a nullity and a failed attempt to wake up a decomposed body.

Edevbie’s endorsement is long buried and forgotten. It cannot be resurrected by Oja R’ Urhobo who is not in any way affiliated with PDP. This is a good example of medical doctors administering medicine to a dead person. UPU Endorsement is illegal, unsolicited, and long forgotten by Deltans and PDP.

It must be recalled that in 2015, Edevbie was endorsed by UPU under the leadership of Chief Joe Omene, and when he could not grab the PDP Guber ticket, the Union switched loyalty to Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party. This development angered some members of the Union.

By the spirit of the Uvbiamuge declaration, UPU ought to support Olorogun Otega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress, APC. They rejected Emerhor, an experienced banker, financial expert, and technocrat. Emerhor is more knowledgeable than Edevbie.

UPU is interested in Edevbie because of repeated recommendations by Chief James Ibori and Chief Ighoyota Amori, period. It is a well-known fact that without Ibori, UPU will never look in the direction of Edevbie. Therefore, it is purely Ethiope West LGA deal, not because Edevbie is more experienced or competent. It is for the economic and financial interests of Oligarchs.

The 2014/2015 endorsement saga led to acute infighting and division in UPU and Chief Tuesday Onoge’s faction had to support Olorogun Emerhor for Urhobo Governor under APC. Unfortunately, both Emerhor and Ogboru were defeated at the polls in a landslide victory by the incumbent Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, and PDP.

Urhobo lost out completely in 2015, because of poor decisions by UPU which were not politically profitable. And it appears UPU is about to repeat past mistakes and defective political permutations, without learning any lessons from the bitter experiences of 2014/2015.

“I am more particularly worried this time because a well respected intellectual and legal icon, in the person of Prof Joseph Abugu, SAN, is involved in this highly complicated and unwarranted endorsement deal between Edevbie and UPU. Prof Abugu is a clean and perfect intellectual guru. He taught me Corporate Law at the University of Lagos. His views on Democratic politics and good governance are unique.”

And I am amazed that one of my mentors, Prof Abugu, is involved in a futile jamboree, widely alleged to be a cash and carry the endorsement of an individual who is not marketable politically, in the person of Olorogun David Edevbie.

Therefore, Oja R’Urhobo should adhere strictly to the position of PDP, which had in a press statement urged local Unions and ethnic groups to completely stay away from the internal affairs of the party.

PDP Delta Central leaders made it abundantly clear to UPU that all aspirants shall test their popularity at the party’s Guber primaries, and whoever pulled the majority votes of delegates becomes the Delta PDP Guber candidate. This is it, not UPU’s unsolicited interference in the internal electioneering affairs of PDP.

If Edevbie could not win the primaries, all these plenty stories about his competence and global experience go to no issue. Politics is a game of numbers, not a game of degrees acquired and a lorry load of work experience. President Buhari is a living example of political popularity versus academic degrees cum worldwide work experience.

Morality and loyalty issues, as well as pleasant human relations, play critical roles in party electioneering processes. Debbie has been largely described as a snub, arrogant, proud to a fault, disrespectful, selfish, and self-centered.

Debbie is also generally believed to be a technocrat who serves the financial and economic interests of Oligarchs and political contractors. He isolates himself from the people. He aligns with the British culture to the detriment of our culture. His chieftaincy title was acquired because of governorship ambition.

There is a huge disconnect between Edevbie and the electorate. PDP delegates shall vote for a candidate that has the required popularity and integrity to win the governorship election in 2023.

It is therefore unacceptable for UPU and Oja R’Urhobo 2023 to pitch a tent with an unmarketable technocrat for the office of governor of Delta State. It won’t work today, not tomorrow. Debbie is miles away from the people.

We need a competent, accessible, prudent, incorruptible, and honest Pan Deltan as a governor. And we found these qualities in Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly. He is the heartbeat of Deltans, the leading PDP governorship aspirant, preferred by delegates.

While other aspirants’ campaign headquarters are domiciled in Asaba, Edevbie’s campaign headquarters is in Ughelli. Deltans need a Unifier as Governor in 2023, not a divider. Debbie is a divider. Ughelli is not the capital of Delta State. We need a governor that will accept and develop Asaba, the state capital.

Debbie should get ready for the party primaries. Therefore, the Oja R’Urhobo proposed a Virtual appointment for Edevbie to talk about his plan for Delta State goes to no issue. It is neither here nor there. It must be jettisoned till after PDP Guber primaries are scheduled to hold on May 23, 2022.

The winner of the PDP Guber contest at the primaries will address Deltans and in the same token articulate his plans for Delta State.

Deltans know and appreciate the M.O.R.E Agenda.

Finally, Deltans need a Pan Delta PDP Governor from Delta Central, not a Governor from Urhobo Nation for the Urhobo people.l

Look no further, be SHERIFFIED.