A statement by Delta South Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Itse Wilkie

Oniyetsoritse Elijah Wilkie is a legal practitioner and Labour Party Senatorial Candidate for the Delta South Senatorial District, Delta State in the just concluded National Assembly Election of 28th March, 2015, an active community leader, he was the Legal Adviser, Ugborodo Community Trust and presently member of the Fact Finding Committee to resolve the crisis surrounding the EPZ Project.

He was the UNPP Candidate for the position of Chairman Warri South West Local Government Area in the 2004 Local Government Elections and later became a member of the Board of Directors, Delta Waterways Ltd, the election has come and gone and you lost to the incumbent.

Firstly, I appreciate all those who came out to vote for Labour Party and for me in droves on the 28th of March, 2015. Unequivocally speaking, without mincing words, I did not lose the election. This is because, there was no election. We only had award of votes by PDP. Our agents were driven from the polling stations.

The electoral materials were not complete. There were no voters whom the incumbent comes from are vexed and feel uncomfortable that one of their own desires a fourth tenure in spite of his none performance.

Why will a man occupy a position for a third term and now desire a fourth term for a position that is rotated amongst three tribes? Pathetically mostly is the fact that the Isokos and the Itsekiris are a neglected minority amongst the minority in Nigeria. The totality of the opportunity the Isokos and the Itsekiris have to Senate is their prospect in the rotation between the three tribes of Ijaws, Itsekiris and isokos.

The only opportunity for an itsekiri man to be a senator is only available to him from the Delta South. The only opportunity for an Isoko man to be a senator is from the Delta South. The itsekiris are presently angry. Imagine, since 1999, we have not had an itsekiri voice in Senate! No man has represented us.

There is no itsekiri man or woman that voted for the incumbent. No itsekiri betrayed the course of his tribe. We are not stupid nor politically dim-witted. It is not only despicable but unrighteously outrageous for one person of the three tribes to hold it for a fourth tenure. It is humbling to have served for three terms.

To desire a fourth term and succeeded in manipulating the result is sickening. It is an abuse on the intelligence of the people. Those who rigged for him and paid millions should wait for the judgment of God and the people.

They started it all from our campaign. It will interest you that people could climb to the top of a two storey building to tear my banners and posters. My bill boards were never allowed to spend more than a night. The undeniable and conclusive sum of this is that though we came into the race late, we so soon became a threat to PDP and emerged as a subject of discussion.

There is the general acceptance that this election was free and fair.Why is your own different?

Check back in time and you will find that any time there is an acclaimed free and fair election it is because PDP did not win. I am telling you what actually happened in Delta South Senatorial District. There was no election.

What is next?

The court is the last hope of the common man. We have set up a conglomeration of lawyers armed with their experiences in electoral matters to file a petition in the Electoral Tribunal. We are confident that the election will be nullified.

What difference would you have brought to legislation?

That is a good question. In this part of the world, legislators are judged by how many projects they have done with their constituency funds. The primary business of the legislators is legislation. Ask all the legislators what they have done in this area you will be surprised that they have been mostly concur members. I would have brought purposeful representation anchored on courage. The incumbent should present his score card to the citizens of the District how many bills he has moved or even supported in the past 12 years to justify why the people should have voted for him?

His campaign slogan was continuity. If for the past 12years he did nothing, we can expect in the next 4 years there will be continuity of no representation. Labour party is new in Delta State. Did this not affect your chances?

The electorates have become more enlightened on the electoral process. The election went beyond party affiliation and membership. People were looking at Great Ogboru the most resilient, resolute and persistent politician so far in Nigeria. Voters were looking at the ineptitude and failure in legislation in the South South geographical region.

The people need a voice. They need a courageous voice. They need purposeful representation. This is what Labour Party stands for. This is what Ogboru stands for. This is what I stand for.

This is what the people need. This is what they intended to vote for. All lovers of positive and purposeful change voted for me whether PDP, APC, LP, SDP, AP etc. It was a protest vote against PDP.

Next week is the gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections. What is your forecast?

I urge all Deltans not to be discouraged. I urge them to come out and vote for Labour Party. PDP is fading away, things have fallen apart for them, hence, they could not hold the centre. Question is, since 1999, are you satisfied with the progress in Delta State? They are asking themselves.

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