Politics

At Last, Okowa, Ibori, Uduaghan Agree On Oborevwori

Published

3 years ago

December 10, 2022

If it was a game, the governor of Delta State and Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, former governors of the state: Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan had noticeably outmaneuvered the opposition in what political opponents had believed would be the weak spot of PDP in the 2023 elections.

However, it was not a pastime, in actuality; the trio of Okowa, Ibori, and Uduaghan found themselves enmeshed in an internal political battle that almost triggered an implosion.

The main opposition party in the state, All Progressives Congress, APC, led by the Deputy Senate President, DSP, and governorship candidate for the 2023 governorship election, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, calculated that the PDP might not come out of the internal variance that hit the party before the poll, and thus affect its chances in the ballot.

Opposition applauded every stride the first runner-up in the PDP governorship primaries, Olorogun David Edevbie, and other dismayed party leaders made to dampen the choice of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, as PDP’s governorship candidate.

It became palpably clear after the inauguration of the PDP Delta 2023 Governorship Campaign Council at Asaba that Okowa would be busy crisscrossing the country with the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and handling other national assignments for the party.

And his nonappearance was instantly recognizable in the Delta North senatorial district where Oborevwori, the state party chair, Chief Kingsley Esiso, and others kick-started the ward-to-ward campaign.

Okowa, Uduaghan meet behind closed doors

Many cannot believe that nobody orchestrated what transpired thereafter, but practically from nowhere, Dr. Uduaghan, did the “impossible” by declaring support for Oborevwori, the very reason for the heated disagreement between him, Ibori, and Okowa. Political watchers thought he was more embittered at Okowa than Ibori over the goings-on in the party,

Currently, Okowa is less burdened about the fate of Oborevwori in 2023 without his physical presence in his campaign, as Uduaghan has effectively taken up the role of an organizer and planner.

Vanguard learned that Okowa and Uduaghan, who has touched many hearts with his troubleshooting initiatives, met behind closed doors, last month, shortly after Uduaghan declared support for Oborevwori, and Okowa’s predecessor captivated him with his newfound love, suggestions, admonitions, and declarations on the way forward.

Ibori to declare stance soon—Uduaghan

While Okowa is attending to other duties, Uduaghan, who is the leader of PDP in his senatorial district, Delta South, had held several meetings to resolve some lingering issues. The former governor intervened in the dispute rocking the party in Burutu local government area. He invited the leaders and members to his Warri residence early this month to reconcile them ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He stormed the party’s ward-to-ward-campaign at Isoko, Okpolo/Enhwe, Igbide, Emede and Olomoro, and other parts of the state, appealing to the people to vote massively for Abubakar/Okowa, Oborevwori and all PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

Uduaghan, who has endeared himself more to party members, chanted at the places he visited, “Vote for Atiku Abubakar and Ifeanyi Okowa for President and Vice-President; Sheriff Oborevwori for Governor; Michael Diden for Senate; Engr. Jonathan Ukodhiko for House of Representatives and Hon. Ferguson Onwo and Bino Obowomano for House of Assembly.”

Despite Uduaghan’s summation that the picking of Oborevwori was divine from the look of things, the opposition continued to insinuate he (Uduaghan) was alone in his new position, as Ibori was not with him.

Clearing the air on Ibori, last Saturday, Uduaghan, who visited Oborevwori at his Osubi residence, asserted, “Chief Ibori and I are not quarreling over this matter. He has accepted my latest decision to support you. He may publicly declare his stance soon and I know he loves the party more than all of us.”

“I was not under any form of compulsion to support you. I am at a stage in my life where I do things based on my conviction. The Supreme Court has ratified your candidacy and given you permission to the campaign.

“Therefore, we are all out to support you, you are the candidate subjected to court processes the most in Delta. I was the sitting governor who they took to court the most, so we share something in common and I declare today again to stand behind you and all PDP candidates in the forthcoming elections.”

… Complicated obstacles ahead

But the immediate past governor of the state quickly warned that there were landmines ahead, which the state PDP governorship for the 2023 governorship election should be cautious about.

”There is still a lot to be done before the elections. You need to pass through the heat you are passing through now in order to be governor. God has blessed you, but do not take Him for granted. Hold Him close because there are bumpier hurdles ahead.”

He admonished party members, especially those with their body in PDP and spirit in the opposition party, “If you say you are behind somebody, stay there. If you think you will remain in the PDP and be working for a candidate of another party, in no time, they will find you out. Those you betrayed your party for will not even trust you. Please, if you are here, stay here because politics is a very slippery venture.”

It could not be, however, confirm, yesterday, if the ex–governor, Okowa, and Oborevwori had separately or collectively, reached out to Senator James Manager, who contested the governorship primaries and lost to the latter. Until the latest bridge building by Uduaghan, Senator Manager was reportedly furious.

The deputy governor, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro, who also contested the governorship primaries but lost to Oborevwori, has moved on and taking part in the party’s campaign for his election, same as ex-lawmaker, Barrister Ejaife Odebala.
VANGUARD

Politics

2027: NDC Unveils Electoral Committee Members For Primaries

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has released list of Electoral Committee Members to Conduct primary election.

The exercise is for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential Primaries across all States in Nigeria and the FCT.

This was contained in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Thursday.

The party had provided updates concerning its upcoming Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Assembly primaries.

According to the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas,
and Barr. Ikenna Alex-Morgan Enekweizu, National Secretary, the primaries are confirmed to take place across the nation on May 29, 2026, adhering to the previously established timetable of May 28 and 29.

Politics

APC: Fubara Has Been Treated Badly, It’s Dangerous For Tinubu – Otubanjo

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The director of research at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Femi Otubanjo, has said the treatment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in the just concluded All Progressives Congress’, APC, primary poses political danger to President Bola Tinubu.

Otubanjo stated this on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he also criticised the role being played by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in the political affairs of Rivers State and the All Progressives Congress.

According to him, the handling of Fubara’s political crisis remains one of the most surprising developments in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Otubanjo further argued that Wike, who is not a member of the APC, appears to be dictating political activities within the ruling party in Rivers State.The research director warned that the current political arrangement in Rivers State could negatively affect Tinubu politically, insisting that Wike was pursuing his personal agenda rather than that of the president.

He said: “The treatment of Fubara must be one of the American wonders of Nigerian politics. Fubara has been badly treated. We have a situation in which Nyesom Wike who is not even in the APC is taking the primary decision in the APC. I hope the tactical team of President Bola Tinubu is not sleeping.

“The reality is that what they have done is very dangerous for Tinubu. What has emerged in Rivers today is that Wike is pursuing his own agenda, not Tinubu’s agenda inspite of PBAT and all of that combination.”

“If Wike really wants to pursue Tinubu’s agenda, he must retain Fubara.”

Politics

In Defence Of Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe: The Generational Shift Reshaping Edo Politics

Published

23 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

By DAN Osa-Ogbegie

For decades, Edo politics remained trapped within a narrow and predictable cycle of political recycling. The same ageing actors moved endlessly from one office to another, from one administration to the next, and from one political alignment to another, as though leadership in Edo State had become the exclusive inheritance of a permanent political aristocracy.

Meanwhile, thousands of intelligent, energetic, and capable young Edo people watched helplessly from the margins while opportunities for leadership, governance, party administration, and public service remained tightly controlled by individuals whose political relevance dated back several decades.

That unhealthy political culture is now gradually changing.

Today, one of the most important political transformations taking place within the All Progressives Congress in Edo State is the deliberate transition from recycled political gerontocracy to a younger generation of political actors. That transition is unfolding under the leadership of Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State and Leader of the APC in Edo State, together with the State Chairman of the party, Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Predictably, such a shift has unsettled entrenched interests.

Those who became accustomed to monopolising political relevance naturally feel threatened by the emergence of a younger generation that is increasingly assertive, visible, influential, and institutionally empowered. Yet, history teaches a simple lesson: no political structure survives indefinitely without renewal.

No serious political party can continue recycling the same exhausted political machinery forever while expecting innovation, grassroots energy, modern governance ideas, and long-term political sustainability.

That reality appears to be clearly understood by Governor Monday Okpebholo and Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Much of the criticism unfairly directed at Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe in recent times stems from the fact that he has become one of the visible faces of this generational transition within Edo APC. Beneath the noise, propaganda, and political bitterness lies an undeniable truth: the party is consciously opening spaces for younger people in ways not seen for many years.

From the youthful Deputy Chairman of APC in Edo State, Sylvester Aigboboh, to several younger commissioners, Special Advisers, members of the State Executive Council, board chairmen, local government administrators, and strategic appointees across government, the evidence of deliberate political renewal is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore.

In Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Hon. Austin Imafidon has emerged as one of the young faces of focused governance and grassroots administration. Beyond politics, he has already established himself successfully in business, bringing into governance the mindset of productivity, enterprise, and modern administrative engagement.

In Etsako, Hon. Sunny Ekpeson has continued to attract national attention as the youngest ALGON Chairman in Nigeria, representing a clear departure from the era where local government leadership was treated as the permanent preserve of ageing political operators disconnected from younger demographics.

In Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Hon. Eric Osawaru represents another example of the younger political generation now entrusted with leadership responsibilities, while in Oredo Local Government Area, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri equally reflects the growing confidence being reposed in younger administrators within the APC structure.

In Owan, Hon. Aitalegbe Ernest, popularly known as “China Boy,” has also emerged as one of the prominent young political figures gaining traction as the incoming Chairman of the local government, further reinforcing the expanding generational transition currently taking shape across Edo State.

The same pattern is visible across government institutions and strategic agencies.

Pastor Stanley Dave Ighodaro, a successful entrepreneur with thriving business interests in Europe, now heads the Edo State Parks and Gardens Agency. His emergence reflects an increasingly important shift towards bringing professionally exposed and globally minded younger individuals into governance and public administration.

Similarly, Kassim Otono, who serves as Special Adviser on Oil and Gas to the Executive Governor of Edo State, represents another example of younger technocratic involvement within the present administration. His inclusion within such a strategic sector underscores the growing confidence being placed in younger professionals and politically aware technocrats within government.

This is how enduring institutions are built.

A political party that refuses to regenerate itself eventually becomes intellectually stagnant, structurally weak, and electorally disconnected from evolving social realities.

Governor Monday Okpebholo deserves commendation for recognising that governance in a rapidly changing society cannot remain permanently tied to political methods and leadership assumptions developed several decades ago. Contemporary governance demands adaptability, technological awareness, stronger grassroots engagement, administrative energy, and a deeper connection with younger populations.

Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe equally deserves credit for helping stabilise the party while managing this difficult but necessary transition process. Generational shifts are never easy within political systems historically dominated by established interests. Resistance is inevitable. Political resentment is expected. Internal anxieties naturally emerge whenever old monopolies begin to weaken.

Leadership, however, requires courage.

The recently concluded primaries further revealed this evolving direction within the APC. The emergence of candidates such as Rt. Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Osazee Igbinovia, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, Omosede Igbinedion, Sir Lucky Eseigbe, and Odianosen Okojie reflects a growing political philosophy that increasingly values capacity, grassroots relevance, contemporary appeal, and generational continuity.

Equally symbolic is the emergence of several young Acting Local Government Council Chairmen who are now candidates of the party in the forthcoming local government elections. That development sends a powerful message across Edo State that political participation is gradually becoming more accessible to younger people with competence, commitment, and organisational value.

For too long, many young people in Edo politics were reduced to political spectators, social media defenders, praise singers, or election-day foot soldiers while actual power remained tightly guarded elsewhere. Such a model was never sustainable.

A society that continuously sidelines its younger generation ultimately weakens its own political future.

The ongoing transition within Edo APC does not amount to hostility towards elders or experienced political actors. Experience remains valuable. Elder statesmen still possess institutional memory and political wisdom that younger actors can benefit from immensely. Mentorship, however, must never become political suffocation. Guidance must never evolve into permanent political domination.

Every generation deserves the opportunity to participate meaningfully in shaping the future it will eventually inherit.

That is precisely why the current direction of the APC leadership in Edo State deserves objective acknowledgement rather than emotional hostility.

Many of those attacking Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe today are not truly angry about party administration. Their deeper discomfort arises from the reality that political influence is gradually shifting away from old centres of control towards a newer generation of actors who may no longer depend entirely on traditional political gatekeepers for relevance or survival.

Societies evolve.

Political cultures evolve.

Leadership itself evolves.

No generation owns political power forever.

Ultimately, the future of Edo State cannot be built exclusively around recycled political veterans whose greatest political moments belong largely to the past. A forward-looking society must continuously create room for younger leadership, newer ideas, fresh administrative energy, and modern political thinking.

That future is already unfolding within the APC in Edo State.

History may eventually remember Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe and Governor Monday Okpebholo as central figures in the difficult but necessary political transition that began moving Edo away from recycled political dominance towards a broader and younger leadership culture capable of preparing the state for a different era.

Daniel Aroren Noah Osa-Ogbegie is a Benin based legal practitioner and public intellectual from Uhunmwode Local Government Area.