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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru is not new to electoral contests in Delta State as a serial governorship candidate of various opposition political parties.
Since 2003, Ogboru popularly addressed as ‘The People’s General’ by his admirers, has been on the ballot for six times without winning the elections.
And after each contest, he files petition at the tribunal against the declared winner, leading to titanic legal war that usually terminated at the Supreme Court where his fate is sealed till another election year.
In 2003, Ogboru contested against the then incumbent governor, James Ibori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) using the Alliance for Democracy (AD) platform.
Four years later, Ogboru initiated the struggle for the number one position in the oil rich state on the platform of the defunct Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) against Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of PDP and other candidates.
Like the 2003 episode, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Uduaghan winner. Ogboru approached the courts, and after about three years as governor, Uduaghan’s mandate was nullified, courtesy of Ogboru’s petition.
The Court of Appeal, Benin Division, where the judgement nullifying the election was delivered, ordered a re-run before the 2011 general elections.
Again, Ogboru’s name was on the ballot for that re-run in January, 2011, and he again lost. The never say die spirit in him propelled him to fly the flag of the DPP again for the April, 2011 governorship election against a familiar foe, Dr. Uduaghan of the PDP.
Although he lost the election, his party produced more than 10 members of the 29-member state House of Assembly, some members of the House of Representatives and a senator. In fact, the 2011 election was the closest he came to wearing the elusive crown.
In the build up to the 2015 elections, DPP joined other legacy parties to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) but Ogboru was not part of the negotiations as opted for the Labour Party as vehicle to realise a burning desire to be governor.
He lost to the incumbent governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa also of the PDP but again, his party won the Delta central senatorial seat for Ovie Omo-Agege through the courts.
After some months in the Senate, both Omo-Agege and Ogboru, whose petition against Okowa failed, defected to the ruling APC at the centre. And for the first since 2003, Ogboru had a tough battle securing the ticket of the opposition party to contest the governorship in 2019 against Okowa.
His outing in 2019 was however worse than the previous elections winning just two out of the 25 local government areas as against the four he won in 2015, an indication that his electoral value was dwindling.
But Ogboru has again thrown his hat into the ring for the 2023 contest as the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) after he fell out with Omo-Agege, the current Deputy Senate President and governorship candidate of APC.
His die-hard followers believe that 2023 represents his brightest chance to be governor, insisting that Ogboru remained the most popular candidate among those on the governorship ballot for next year’s election.
They claim that their principal had always won previous contests but had been unfortunately rigged out because of alleged manipulations which were not proven at the level of the courts.
They are thus confident that with the introduction of the Bimodal Voters’ Accreditation System (BVAS) by INEC, the votes would accurately count in his favour come 2023.
At a recent event in Asaba where Ogboru inaugurated Delta APGA campaign council and unveiled his Jubilee Agenda for 2023, stakeholders of the party re-affirmed their belief that next year is the turn of Ogboru to mount the saddle as an elected governor of Delta State.
The state chairman of APGA, Afam Enemokwu while calling for unity within the party, said they have toiled and laboured over the years, adding that this was the right time to reposition and focus on the mission.
Enemokwu urged members of the campaign council to navigate the nooks and crannies of the state to actualize the reality of the expectations on the goal of occupying the Government House, come 2023.
“We should bear in mind that the 2023 general elections, the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Independent National Electoral Result Viewing portal (IREV) will be used.
“With this system, only majority wins. Presently, majority of Deltans are affiliated to the People’s General, Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru. We therefore need cohesion, open mind and heart with all embracing hands stretching out to welcome more people willing to join us genuinely.
“I therefore at this juncture, wish to advise us all that we should do away with the mentality of superiority of I am the only saint and reliable person, closely affiliated than others.
“Our coming together in this political struggle is to bring together all our potentials, efforts, forget our personal political differences to work together focusing on moving into the Delta State Government House,” Enemokwu said.
A staunch supporter of Ogboru and the party’s candidate for Sapele constituency of the state House of Assembly, Elvis Ayomanor, declared that 2023 was the appointed time for his principal.
“What I see today here is bigger than what we had in APC in 2019. Some persons came to kill the jubilee dream but some of us put our lives on the line and today the jubilee dream is alive.
“APGA has come to stay, we are delivering Delta central 100%, 80% in Delta South and at least six local governments in Delta North.
“I had a call after the 2019 election from a highly placed Abuja politician who told me to encourage Ogboru to contest again in 2023 as President Muhammadu Buhari would sign the new Electoral Act,” Ayomanor said.
For Delta Central senatorial candidate of APGA, Peter Omaruanye, Deltans have been too impoverished since 1999 in the midst of plenty, adding that Ogboru has come to restore hope and the lost glory of the state.
“The Ogboru political family has done it severally in this state from 2007. It is the time for Ogboru to break free by the grace of the new Electoral Act and the jubilee that Delta has been hoping for, has started.
“This is the right time, we have never abandoned anybody. We have been wounded as a group but Ogboru has been the most wounded. It was through Ogboru that some people became relevant,” he said.
Silas Buowe, candidate for Isoko federal constituency and his counterpart for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, Isioma Ndah, Ogboru remained a selfless leader with the burning desire to transform Delta.
“I recommend Ogboru, a selfless man with the love of Delta. Ogboru will bring Julius Berger to Delta, Ogboru will ensure security. I want us to mobilise from every community and hamlet in the state for us to occupy Government House in 2023.
“Ogboru has the zeal with the burning desire to change the way things are done in Delta, that is why he is never tired. Our votes will count this time around, no manipulation. I have never seen a genuine crowd like this. Our votes were stolen in the past,” Ndah opined.
But Ogboru’s opponents particularly from Omo-Agege’s APC see him as a spent force who henchmen, have deserted to political fortunes elsewhere.
The APC folks are accusing Ogboru and his running mate, Chinedu Allanah, of working for the PDP ostensibly to reduce Omo-Agege’s votes particularly in Delta central where he hails from.
“Ogboru is not contesting this election in the real sense of it. He is in the race for a spoiler role against Omo-Agege who is holding a grudge against.
“He has forgotten that it was Omo-Agege that stood his ground to ensure he (Ogboru) became APC candidate in 2019 even against the rotational policy touted by most leaders.
“And because he failed in 2019, he was thinking that the 2023 ticket will again be given to him on platter but he was wrong as APC means business this time around to sack PDP.
“I can assure you that Ogboru will not win his local government, Ethiope East, come 2023. Most people have left him, he is just floating politically,” a loyalist of Omo-Agege who pleaded not to be named said.
However, Ogboru dismissed claims that he was working for the PDP, insisting that he had never lost elections, genuinely, in the state.
Ogboru also warned Omo-Agege and the PDP candidate, Sheriff Oborevwori to stop dropping his name in creating unhealthy political atmosphere in the state.
He encouraged them to step down if they have nothing to offer during the campaigns rather than using his name to create political problems.
“For the avoidance of doubt, l want to posit that I am far more superior candidate to Omo-Agege and Oborevwori to consider ever stepping down for either or both.
“It is a known fact that the only name that has ever caused panic in Delta PDP is Great Ogboru, because I am the only one who has succeeded in winning the confidence of the electorate with an unequalled display of maturity, civility as well as a clear blue print of my development agenda for Delta State.
“But if they cannot fulfill this minimal requirement of respect for status and leadership, then they must endeavour to be objective in the construction and presentation of their campaign messages to be devoid of irresponsible behaviour and diabolic intentions,” he said.
From all indications, the 2023 election may as well represent Ogboru’s last contest for the coveted seat. Age is fast catching up with the urbane business man-turned politician.
At the inauguration of the campaign council and unveiling of his Jubilee Agenda, Ogboru confirmed that the 2023 contest is his last throw of the dice, even as he urged his followers to do everything legally acceptable to win the election.
