Defection: Why Óborevwori would be disappointed
By Julius Oweh
In a moment of intellectual and political illumination, a wit described political ambition as the elevation of self interest as that of public interest. That happened yesterday in Asaba when the state governor Sheriff Óborevwori, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Senator James Manager, all PDP state legislators and 25 council chairmen defected to the APC.
The reason given by Senator James Manager was the crisis at the national level. A cynical smile played on the face and it is only an idiot that could believe such dummy.
Guber ambition
Amidst the growing popularity of APC in the state following the earthquake defection of Senator Ned Nwoko, the reality is that if election were held in Delta state today, PDP would kiss the dust. Most Deltans are tired and sick of Óborevwori being controlled by Okowa. Okowa remains the political godfather of Óborevwori and he pulls all the strings in appointments and key policy decisions.
You don’t need to go far. The Ministry of Works is a classical example. Two commissioners, one representing the interest of Okowa, the other that of the governor. The members of APC are aware of this grosteque political arrangements of master and servant, and wools cannot be pulled over their eyes.
Second Term Agenda
The sole and only reason for Óborevwori defection is 2027 election and it would be an idle dream on his part to believe that APC would fall for his political gimmick of the MORE Agenda. For one thing, the image of the governor as the lackey of Okowa is very disturbing. It was Okowa who promoted Óborevwori, a feather weight politician above and over Olorogun David Edevbie. The crime of Edevbie in the political formulation of Okowa was that Edevbie contested governorship primaries against him. Chief James Ibori is mostly unlikely to forgive him.
There is also the political colossus, Senator Ned Nwoko who left the party because of his intolerance of criticism deluding himself that he was a kind of political god. Ned Nwoko would use his political influence and resources to make sure that he does not get the ticket of the APC . The governor would discover to his regrets that joining the APC is akin to swimming against the political tide.
Another obstacle is Senator Peter Nwaoboshi who was humiliated out of PDP by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. Nwaoboshi would also use his influence to frustrate Óborevwori ambition with the old saying that the friend of my enemy is my enemy .
The most formidable opponent is Senator Ovie Omo Agege, the former APC Guber candidate in 2023 election. Omo Agege has been in the forefront of keeping the flames of APC alive in the state. He built the party with his time and resources, and it would be naive on the part of Óborevwori that Omo Agege would forget that and allow a political interloper takes over the house he built.
The political gamble of Óborevwori and his fellow PDP mates shall fail .
No First Refusal
A sitting governor has the right of first refusal in his own party as far as the governorship ticket is concerned.Crossing to a new party as a governor, such a right is not available to him. May be that is the political delusion that Óborevwori is suffering.
Let his advisers and media propagandists be told that the political gamble is failure doomed. Óborevwori may end up as the only governor of Delta State since 1999 with just one term .
Saving Grace
Perhaps the only saving grace could be found in Chief James Ibori and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Even though Ibori is yet to officially cross to APC, his influence in the party is overwhelming. Most of the federal appointments were through him. He is close to Tinubu . But would Ibori sacrifice Edevie for Óborevwori and Okowa who publicly disgraced him. That is the million dollars question.
For some time, Óborevwori has been following the president and having nocturnal meeting with Tinubu . His media aides then explained that was done in the interest of democratic dividends for Deltans. Today, the message is clearer. Will the president abandon APC members for a new comer? Definitely he would continue to support those who stood by the APC through thick and thin.
Politics is the art of the impossible and is like witches in a coven. The Óborevwori gamble is pregnant. But something tells me that getting the APC ticket would be like a camel passing through the eye of a needle. Sheriff, nothing lasts for ever, your days of political fame are numbered.
