Murmurings in Political Circle as Olu of Warri Declares: Warri Federal Constituency, State Assembly seats, are not negotiable

 Murmurings began over the weekend among politicians and other political stakeholders, within the Peoples Democratic Party, the All Progressives Congress and members of other political parties in Warri Kingdom, following pronouncement by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, that Warri Federal Constituency Seat and the four state legislative seats in Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas, are not negotiable.

The Monarch, who addressed a gathering of Itsekiris, ahead preparations for the 2023 general elections, stated inter-alia: “Politics is all about give and take, there is trading and negotiating. None of you have the authority, permission to negotiate Itsekiri. Our population has not necessarily shrunk. For whatever reasons, our political dominance has shrunk in the last 20 years.

“Under the guise of partisan politics, we are shrinking. Trading with partisan politics, under the name of Itsekiri. We want the collectiveness of Itsekiri over the ambition of individuals. We are to deal with our current reality. Our currently reality is there are four seats in Delta State House of Assembly, which we are still very ready to take. Let us unite, Warri Federal Constituency, the three Warri Local Government Areas, are not negotiable. We will not trade one of those for any of those. This is not to say that we are going to handpick individuals”.

Checks by Your Soaring International Tabloid over the weekend, revealed that the declaration by the Olu of Warri, which was greeted by thunderous applause from Itsekiris present, during the pronouncement, has attracted murmurings among Itsekiri politicians as well as their Urhobo and Ijaw colleagues in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state and the main opposition All Progressives Congress.

Whilst the Warri Federal Constituency Seat is currently being occupied by Chief (Dr.) Thomas Ereyitomi, an Itsekiri indigene, Warri South-West Constituency and Warri South Constituency II Seats in Delta State House of Assembly, are being occupied by Hon. Guwor Emomotimi Dennis (an Ijaw Indigene, from Gbaramatu) and Hon. Matthew Poko Opuoru (an Urhobo Indigene, from Okere-Urhobo) respectively.

Implication of the declaration by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, means that Itsekiri politicians in PDP, APC and other political parties, would have to work towards ensuring that Itsekiri indigenes (irrespective of the candidates) don’t just retain the legislative seats in Warri Federal Constituency, Warri South Constituency I and Warri North State Constituency Seats, but produce candidates (in their political parties) for the Warri South-West and Warri South Constituency II State Assembly Seats, currently being occupied by Hon. Guwor Emomotimi Dennis and Hon. Matthew Poko Opuoru, in next year’s general elections.

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