Delta LG Poll Exclusive: Uduaghan, PDP face selection headache in Uvwie, two Warri LGAs

As the date for the October 25, 2014 local government polls inch closer, three years after democratically elected political leadership exited local government councils in Delta State, Fresh Angle investigations can reveal that except for Warri South local government area where former Chairman, Hon. Matthew Mofe Edema looks set to return as Council Chairman with huge salary arrears and discontent key political forces awaiting him, the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan led Peoples Democratic Party face rising selection headache among chairmanship aspirants in Uvwie, Warri North and Warri  South-West local government areas.

Investigation reveals that as soon as the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC released the election time table, election posters of the last democratically elected Chairman of Uvwie local government, Hon. Peter Abugewa suddenly   adorned major roads and streets of Effurun as well as Ekpan, with political watchers expressing surprise that the ex-Uvwie Council boss is still interested in the race. The sudden re-appearance of his election posters in strategic areas in Uvwie three years after he left the saddle as boss of the politically volatile local government has thrown open more posers as to the direction the PDP will tilt as far as the party flag bearer for the October 25 local government poll is concern. This more-so considering the prolonged election campaign, Mr. Baro Henry Minabowanre and Mr. Ramson Tega Onoyake have engaged themselves in.

While Baro Minabowanre who calls himself the Asiwaju of Delta politics is believed to be having the backing of a former Chairman of Uvwie local government and current member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Evelyn Oboro as well as a top Itsekiri PDP member (name withheld) who has the ear of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Mr. Ramson Tega Onoyake appears to be the grassroots choice according to investigation.

Fresh Angle checks reveal that even though there are other pockets of aspirants eyeing the Uvwie Council plum job, the strength of Hon. Peter Abugewa, Mr. Baro Henry Minabowanre and Ramson Tega Onoyake is so intense that Governor Uduaghan led PDP would have to bring out the best of their political dexterity to avert internal crisis and to a large extent a major political crisis in Uvwie local government area.

Fresh Angle can also report that Dr. Uduaghan faces an imminent battle on how to avoid possible crisis between the Itsekiri and Ijaw of Warri North local government in the build-up to the heavily anticipated October 25, 2014 local government poll.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan

This is sequel to the cry of alleged political marginalization by the Egbema Ijaws of Warri North regarding the chairmanship of the local government. The argument by the Egbema Ijaws which led to the burning of some Itsekiri communities and killing of some people in 2013 by some Egbema Ijaw militants is a major challenge the PDP led state government will have to tackle if the October 25 local government election will hold in Warri North local government area.

The Chairmanship ambition of factional President of Itsekiri National Youth Council, Mr. Omolubi Newuwumi, who led a successful protest against the revered Olu of Warri in 2013 over the Monarch’s decision to drop some traditional practices demanded by the Warri Kingdom and speculations of return bid of former Chairman of Warri North, Dr. Godwin Toritsereju Ebosa in the October 25 poll is a fresh poser PDP leaders in Warri North will have to contend with to save the party from a formidable APC opposition being led by an ex-commissioner in Ibori administration, Dr. Alex Tosan Ideh.

The emerging intrigues Warri South-West politics has to offer, considering the power sharing arrangement between the Itsekiris and Ijaws of the local government is another that requires careful consultation among stakeholders, no matter the political divide.

While the last elected political head of Warri South- West local government was Ijaw born George Ekpemupolo, sibling to ex-Ijaw militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, the Transition Committee leadership has been led by another Ijaw, Rev. Sam Ken until his mysterious accident which has kept him in a South African hospital. By the gentleman arrangement between the Itsekiri and Ijaw on who chairs the council, it will ordinarily be the turn of Itsekiri if the agreement will be respected.

And so far, investigation reveals that a former Secretary to the Local Government, Hon. Emma Golly, who is seemingly riding on the support of longtime Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Daniel Mayuku and a former councilor in the George Ekpemupolo administration, Hon. Weyinmi Omadeli aka Bobby, who is a close associate of Chairman of Delta Water-Ways Security Committee, Chief Ayirimi Emami as well as Prince Moses Fregene, an executive member of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC has so far publicly shown interest in the Warri South-West Chairmanship job.

Even though rumours suggest that the former council boss, George Ekpemupolo may still be interested, the immediate challenge before the PDP is how to handle the hordes of Chairmanship aspirants of Itsekiri extraction, even as the Hon. David Tonwe led APC is staging a strong presence in the local government.

×