By Annabel Ogheneganre
The search for the senator to represent Delta Central as from 2023 has been a tough one. The present occupier of the seat is a man of innocuous political sobriety hitherto unseen in the land. Prior to his ascendancy to the senate, nobody would ever believe that Ovie Omo-Agege could perform this much. He has done well and PDP needs another achiever to replace Omo-Agege. Urhobo needs another ’Aghwemutuwevwi’ to replace Omo-Agege, an indisputable ’Aghwemutuwevwi’.
His APC members are already clamouring for him to come home and serve as Governor of Delta State by next year. Having accepted the call to serve, he will not be returning to the senate in 2023 rather his eyes are fixed on Denis Osadebey House, Asaba.
Now that it is obvious Omo-Agege will not be returning to the Senate, Urhobo will have to search for a replacement. The two major political parties in Nigeria have thrown the race opened for members to contend for their party tickets. In the PDP, Senator Ighoyota Amori and Chief John Nani, both from Ethiope West have indicated interest in running for the exalted office of representative of the people of Delta Central in the Senate. The two men are qualified no doubt but there are issues which must be thoroughly investigated and placed in proper perspective so as to pick an election winning brand who will fly the PDP flag in the 2023 elections. There are questions very many people are asking and want Amori to provide answers for before going into next month primary election of the PDP.
Chief Ighoyota Amori knew very well that he would be running for senate this year. The idea of taking another shot at the senate position did not just occur to him recently. The question he must answer is why did he have to run for the only position of Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the PDP just a couple of months ago when he knew he would be running for senate this year? Is that not the height of greed that whatever comes to Urhobo or Delta he must struggle to grab it because of his political exposure? What does Amori really want, to be a National Officer of the PDP or a senator? What is he looking for? Why not remain in Wadada Plaza while Urhobo search for another person to be the next senator?
In the just concluded APC National Convention, a serving senator ran for National Chairman, another for Deputy National Chairman, they won and have resigned from the senate. Amori is currently a Deputy National Organizing Secretary of the PDP, why is that not enough for him? Must he go for every available position? If eminent Nigerians are resigning from the senate to run for party positions in APC, why shouldn’t Amori be satisfied with the National position he is already occupying in PDP and leave John Nani to go to the Senate? Or is Amori trying to say that a PDP National position holds a less prospect than APC National position? Or does he not know he has too many enemies in the street? Is he expecting supporters of the likes of Evelyn Oboro to swallow the betrayal of 2019 and wholeheartedly support him for senate in 2023?
Amori should understand that he has offended too many people. Even if the system used him against Oboro in 2019, Evelyn Oboro may forgive him but not the ordinary followers whose destinies were terribly twisted and the course of their life derailed on account of that betrayal of the PDP by Amori. The crocodile has many enemies in the water.
Even if Amori gets the PDP ticket, many PDP elements within the party will choose to pay him back in his own coin and before you know it, PDP may lose again. 2023 is not an ordinary election year and the earlier the PDP put an innocent face forward the better for the party. This is where Chief John Nani, an innovative ‘Aghwemutuwevwi’ must come in.
Amori may have fought many battles for Urhobo as some say but whatever he may have attained is because Urhobo provided a platform for him to dance.
It is a matter of opportunity. There is nothing exceptional about what Amori have done for Urhobo politically. Urhobo has given him so much. Those he helped are because he had the opportunity to so do. In fact Urhobo made him who he is today. He should face his National Assignment as Deputy National Organizing Secretary and let Nani be. John Nani had served him in the past. Since Omo-Agege will not be returning to the senate, APC will present a harmless and innocent flag-bearer, but if PDP present Amori with lots of baggage from his devious political past, PDP will live to regret it. Amori is going about apologizing for having offended many people, but Nani, with his innocent face of a harmless lamp is appealing for support so as to bring fresh ideas and hope to Delta Central. John Nani represents and resonate hope for Urhobo. Let him go to the senate.
Annabel Ogheneganre writes from Garki, Abuja. (SMS only or ananabel4christ@hotmail.com)
