Delta State
Population: 5,307,543m (2019 estimate)
Registered Voters: 3,368,791m (523,517 new registrants)
Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): N59.7bn
Debt: N272bn (4th highest)
1999 till date
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has held sway in the resource-rich South-South state of Delta since 1999 till date, becoming a major support base for the party.
Ex-gov James Ibori who would later be jailed for theft of public funds, money laundering and abuse of office, led the party when he became Governor in 1999, handing over to his Cousin and commissioner in his cabinet, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2007, who also handed over to a former Ibori commissioner turned Senator and current governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015.
Despite the political stability and near one-party control of the state affairs, it is yet to witness economic growth and infrastructural development considering the abundant natural and human resources at its disposal. With opposition and CSOs accusing the PDP-led Delta State Government of corruption and mismanagement of resources.
With campaigns for the 2023 general elections set to kick off, The Quest Times takes a closer look at Delta State and how it could be close to witnessing a political revolution.
With over 523,517 new voters (1st in Nigeria) raising the political stakes, Delta could be set for a breathe of fresh air in 2023.
With a brewing crisis and “civil war” in the PDP, a stronger opposition, and high-profile court cases, the 2023 race to Dennis Osadebe House (Delta State Government House) could be an intriguing one with serious implications for the PDP dominance in the state.
Here are the main contenders in the 2023 Delta State Governorship race
Is it David Edevbie or Sheriff Oborevwori or Nobody? PDP stuck in limbo
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Post Held: David Edevbie (Chief of Staff to Gov Okowa), (Commissioner of Finance under Govs Ibori, Okowa), Principal Private Secretary to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
Post Held: Sheriff Oborevwori: Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, Councillor, Special Assistant to Govs Ibori and Uduaghan, Delta State Amnesty Coordinator
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The crisis rocking the PDP seems to be beyond reconciliation as loyalty to its main leaders could be set to tear the party apart, with James Ibori and Gov Okowa differing on the choice of the PDP flagbearer in 2023.
Ibori favours David Edevbie, his former Commissioner of Finance and former Chief of Staff to Okowa, while the incumbent favours Sheriff Oborevwori, the current Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly.
Following the emergence of Oborevwori at the Primaries, the Edevbie camp filed legal proceedings challenging his victory, accusing the Speaker of presenting forged credentials and also faulting the primary process which produced Sheriff.
In response, A Federal High Court granted his prayers, disqualifying the DHoA Speaker, further restricting him from parading himself as the Delta PDP guber candidate. As it stands, the case is currently in the Appeal Court, where Justice Peter Ige has reserved judgement.
In line with the Court judgement disqualifying Oborevwori, INEC is yet to publish any governorship candidate for Delta PDP. Failure to settle the crisis in-house could see the PDP fail to participate in the governorship election.
Opposition
Sen Ovie Omo-Agege (APC)
Post Held: Executive Assistant to Gov Ibori (2003), Commissioner Special Duties (2005), Secretary to State Government, SSG, (2007), Senator (2015), Deputy Senate President (2019)
A one-time memeber of the Ibori clan, Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege could be set to profit from the fallout in the PDP, armed with the so-called “federal might”, he could be poised to take power in 2023.
A former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) under Ibori, Omo-Agege of the mace-snatching fame which rocked the Senate in 2018, has single-handedly wrestled control of the APC structure in the state, pushing out Minister of Labour and APC presidential spokesman, Festus Keyamo in a power play move.
The 2-term senator who has led the Delta Central senatorial district will be under no illusions of victory despite the PDP crisis, as his party, the APC isn’t popular in the state and he’s set to square up against former ally turned rival, Chief Great Ogboru of the All Grand Progressives Alliance (APGA) who could ruin Omo-Agege’s chances of securing a majority of the votes from Delta Central, his supposed stronghold.
Chief Great Ogboru (APGA)
Post Held: None (Businessman)
He’s still contesting? Yes, having contested every governorship in Delta State since 2003, Great Ogboru still has his hat in the ring for the 2023 governorship election.
Starting the race under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 2003, Ogboru’s ambition has seen him move DPP (2007), LP (2015) and the APC (2019).
The only opposition flagbearer never to have been a member of the PDP, Ibori clan or held public office, Ogboru has consistently and doggedly fought the PDP, alleging electoral misconduct following election losses, with the Supreme Court sacking former gov Uduaghan in November 2010, ordering a re-run which Ogboru lost.
Widely popular and adjudged as the only consistent opposition politician in Delta State, Ogboru could finally be set for a breakthrough with the introduction of BIVAS, which could drastically reduce voting fraud and the PDP crisis which seems to have headed beyond a point of no return.
A win for Ogboru and APGA in the state, could spell the end PDP dominance in Delta.
Chief Kenneth Gbagi (SDP)
Post Held: Minister of Education (State), Chairman of Delta Development and Property Authority, DDPA (1993-94), Chairman, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria
Defecting on the eve of the PDP guber primaries, former Minister of Education (State) Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi will lead the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 Delta governorship election.
Gbagi who said he shed tears when he left the PDP because “because that is the house that l built”, accused Gov Okowa of reneging on a said agreement, where the incumbent was supposed to support his gubernatorial ambition before settling for Sheriff.
Gbagi in an interview with Vanguard stated why he fancied he chances despite the lack of structure for the SDP.
“The election we are going to hold in 2023 is not on the basis of structure. The market women, pensioners, artisans, school teachers, churches and churchgoers will vote. They don’t have any structure.” he said
“I resonate to work with the youths of the State, pensioners, teachers, doctors and everybody that mean well for Delta State, so, the issue of structure has nothing to do with the election.”