2015: Tension Grips Delta PDP Over Okowa’s Running Mate

Tension has gripped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State over the selection of the running mate to the gubernatorial flagbearer of the party in the 2015 election, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
Three ethnic nationalities in Delta South senatorial district of the state- Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko are at daggers’ drawn over the nomination of the deputy governorship candidate of the party. Okowa emerged in the primary election held on December 8.
Each of the ethnic nationalities is mounting pressure on Okowa to pick his running mate from the group.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the disagreement by the three ethnic nationalities had prevented Okowa from naming his running mate, two weeks after his emergence.
The seeming crisis was being fuelled by speculations that Okowa has conceded the slot of his running mate to the Ijaw ethnic nationality. It was learnt that following Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s withdrawal of support for him, Okowa ran to the leaders of the Ijaw ethnic group for backing in pursuance of his aspiration.
Consequently, it was gathered that the Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, Senator James Manager and an ex-militant commander, Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, threw their weight behind Okowa on the condition that the Ijaw would be allowed to produce his running mate.
It was gathered that Okowa conceded the position, a development which led to intensive struggle by Clark, Manager and Ekpemukpolo to force their nominees on him.
Clark was pushing for commissioner in the state, Chief Braduce Angozi while Manager was rooting for a top chieftain of PDP in the state, Chief J.T. Government. Ekpemukpolo was canvassing for his relation and a commissioner representing the Ijaw ethnic nationality in the state’s oil agency, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Mr. Kingsley Otuaro.
LEADERSHIP further learnt that members of PDP within the Isoko and Itsekiri groups are opposed to the nomination of a Deltan of Ijaw extraction as Okowa’s running mate.
The two groups were of the position that the Ijaw could not produce the deputy governorship slot, having produced the senatorial candidate of the party in Delta south zone in the person of Senator James Manager.
They insisted that the Ijaw cannot produce the deputy governorship and senatorial candidates of the zone.
To this end, the Ijaw and Isoko groups have warned Okowa not to appoint his running mate from the Ijaw nation.
Specifically, the Itsekiri under the aegis of Iwere Political Forum (IPF) had asked Manager to drop his senatorial ambition and pick the offer of deputy governorship since Okowa had conceded the slot to his group.
The IPF in an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan said, “We humbly demand that since Dr. Okowa has conceded the slot of his deputy to the Ijaw, Senator James Manager should drop his senatorial ambition to serve as deputy to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in the 2015 election.
“To this end, the senatorial ticket for Delta south senatorial district should be given to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to take the turn of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, which has not been represented in the Senate since the advent of the current democratic dispensation in 1999.”
“This will be in tandem with the understanding and power sharing agreement in the zone. We make bold to say that the Ijaw cannot take the two positions,” the group added in a statement signed by Chief Thomas Ereyitomi and others.
Also, the Isoko Development Union (IDU), has demanded the slot of deputy governor from Okowa. The IDU, under the leadership of Gen. Paul Omu (rtd.) said “The Isoko have not been fairly treated.