Hurdles before Anioma’s quest for governorship

As the 2015 Delta State gubernatorial elections inches closer, so is the increase in subterranean activities by political gladiators eyeing the top job, which becomes vacant in 2015.

Judging from the utterances of the leading lights of the party and its principle of zoning offices, it is speculated that the ruling PDP may have zoned the gubernatorial slot to Delta North which comprises of the nine Ibo-speaking areas.

But who among the Anioma politicians stands the best chance of clinching the governorship ticket?

Will the Aniomas rally round a figure to realise its group interest? Will infighting amongst the large number of eminently qualified candidates of Anioma extraction not truncate their ambitions?

But Chairman, Anioma Agenda (AA), Mr. Alex Onwuadiamu, denies that political actors in Delta North are disunited and are uncoordinated in their approach to clinching power in 2015.

He said the Anioma people will ensure that the PDP abides by the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices, claiming that these were enshrined in the Nigeria Constitution and the Constitution of the ruling PDP.

His words, “ What we are saying is that the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria and the Constitution of the PDP be adhered to. The governorship of Delta State has gone to Central Senatorial Zone, it is now in the South Senatorial zone and by that principle come 2015, and it will be the turn of Anioma people to produce the governor for Delta State. That is all we are asking for.”

Onwuadiamu disagrees with the perception of complacency and perceived disunity among politicians of Anioma stock, stressing that the Anioma people will soon begin the process of sensitising the populace.

Despite the above sentiments, agitations by some sections amongst the Anioma people have continued.

Recently, a socio-political pressure group, Ndokwa Unite, argued that ethnicity rather than zoning should be used in apportioning public offices.

Dr Bonnyface Opia, Barr. Greg Ikoko and Mr Mathew Emeni, who are members of Ndokwa Unite Board of Trustees, urged other senatorial districts to support an Ndokwa governorship candidate.

His words: “Delta Central did eight years in Government House, Delta South will complete theirs in 2015, as such, it is imperative that Delta North produces the governor in 2015, not only because of the zoning formula of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but to ensure fairness and equity.”

The group advocates that the gubernatorial seat should go to Ndokwa ethnic nationality.

“Ndokwa is the only ethnic nationality that has cultural affinity with the Ijaws, Itsekiris, Isokos, Urhobos, Ikas, Aniochas and the Oshimilis,” the group noted, adding, “an Ndokwa man as governor of Delta State will not be biased and will work for the overall interest of Deltans. Ndokwa is the stabilising factor for 2015.”

Furthermore, the party remains deeply polarised despite the highly published rapprochement between camps sympathetic to Governor Uduaghan and Chief E.K Clark.

Gov Uduaghan, undoubtedly, will be interested in who succeeds him. And this may invariably set both politicians on a collision course.

To make an already difficult matter worse, the opposition Democratic Peoples Party, (DPP) headed by an Anioma son, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, is up in arms against such an arrangement..

He says his party will support any Deltan that emerges through a democratic process, stressing that DPP will not turn its back on any aspirant on the basis of ethnic consideration.

Another big obstacle to the realisation of the Anioma dream is the considerably large number of wealthy and influential potential contestants within the PDP who may refuse to step down for each other, thus leading to bitterness and rancour within the party.

This may force many to seek their political fortunes elsewhere with the resultant effect of a dilution of Anioma block vote.

Despite assurances of rapprochement between the Uduaghan and Chief Clark’s faction, political analysts are of the opinion that the 2015 Delta gubernatorial election is a struggle for political power between these two factions in Delta State than simply a struggle by the Anioma ethnic group for power.