Malik, Okaruefe, Egbo, Who Blinks First?

Having read through the manifestoes presented by these three Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship aspirants in Isoko South, I discovered that there is constitutional limit to which a local government chairman can do in office within the stipulated time.

I came to realise that most of these chairmanship aspirants are under in terse political pressure to present programmes they cannot execute if eventually elected in office. Local government is the third tier of government which is controlled by the state government and there is no political magic that these three PDP chairmanship aspirants can execute such elongated programmes listed. The problem is that Isoko South politics is complex than Isoko North in the sense that there are many political gladiators that refused to speak with one voice.

First, Sir Itiako Constantine Ikpokpo Malik (KSM) is the Chief Executive Officer of Dunamis Icon Limited and a renowned philanthropist who has in little way contributed to the developmental progress of Isoko nation. His foray into proletarian politics was a welcomed development and 70 percent of Isoko youths want him to be elected as the next chairman of Isoko South Local Government.

The facts and figures speak volume of his present achievements in Isoko South politics. The keen interest is the quarterly town hall meetings to report the council activities to the people and infrastructural development. His manifestoes also key into media that shows how Sir Malik is well-informed in grassroots politics of Isoko region. Politics in Isoko has graduated from derisory party promises to reality. Every promise made must be fulfilled if any of these chairmanship aspirants is elected.

Over the years, Isoko South Local government has suffered political imposition of unknown leaders without due process. Some intended to repeat that kangaroo political manipulation in this present dispensation which does not augur well with those that know the importance of politics in Isoko.Holding of nocturnal meetings by certain persons to frustrate the efforts of rightful aspirants will not work in Isoko South politics.

They deceived us since 1999 and they cannot repeat such political quagmire in 2014 and 2015 again. The fact remains that Sir Malik Ikpokpo is a sellable aspirant that has won the minds of Isoko South youths in recent past years before indicating interest to contest for Isoko South chairmanship position. Sir Malik Ikpokpo must know that his manifestoes must be executed if emerged as PDP chairmanship candidate and eventually elected as the chairman of Isoko South LGA.

Sir Malik Ikpokpo should know that politics is not run on multiple party manifestoes but should be able to distinguish his core manifestoes from Isoko South politics. After all, it is just a grassroots politics not a national one. None of these aspirants has able to address the issue of re-building Isoko South secretariat to international edifice.

One of the disturbing factors of Isoko South politics is the recent political brawl of one Samuel Askia of Uzere community who was born in 1988 and graduated with political Science honours from Delta State University (DELSU) who has become a thug in Isoko South politics using the social media to insult his elders that ought to be his father.

Samuel Askia is the son to the former Isoko South chairman, Chief Askia Ogieh and has refused to caution his son of recent political events in Isoko. The imposition of unaccepted persons into Isoko South council has generated a lot of political combats among Isoko political leaders and elders of the land. Samuel Askia is too young to fight Isoko politics at his age of 26 than to concentrate on his personal life.

Hon Oghogho Evans Egbo is a young politician with large heart. He is from Oleh community and graduated from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) where he studied Public Administration. He was once a council leader and former coordinator of Niger-Delta Amnesty programme.

By virtue of experience in politics, Hon.Evans Egbo is the most qualified chairmanship aspirant in Isoko South LGA. Hon. Evans Egbo is socially active on the media. Having read through his party manifestoes, he has a packaged programme for Isoko South people if elected. He is one of the PDP chairmanship aspirants that have tested Isoko South LGA for once and he knows what it takes to be a successful politician.

He is a grassroots politician with credibility attending to grassroots matters and the only aspirant that lives presently in the local government. But his manifestoes are so elongated that I doubt if he can succeed in executing all these projects outlined with the in-depth political history of Isokoland if elected.

As an entrepreneur cum politician, he knows what Isoko people want at present. He once said in one of the community newspapers he granted interview that politics has grown beyond money bag politics. He is a sellable aspirant for the PDP.But his manifestoes failed to address the re-building of Isoko South secretariat that looks like a primary school over the years.

Chief Raphael Okaruefe, an Enhwe man, who is into oil and gas just recently indicated interest to contest for Isoko South chairman that has elicited reactions from the public over his sudden emergence from the blue. There is no political footprint of Chief Raphael Okaruefe in Isoko South politics. It was alleged that Chief Askia Ogieh and the present serving Delta State House of Assembly member Prince Hon.Erijo Johnson are secretly backing Chief Okaruefe which many people tagged as “Unknown Politician in Isoko South”. He once said he has contributed to Isoko development through individual invitations not politics.

When the likes of His Excellency Chief Emmanuel Emoefe of Ikipide-Irri Kingdom, Barr.Zino Ugboma, Barr, Duncan Danjuma Afahohor and Sir Malik Ikpokpo and others were donating relief materials for Isoko flood victims, nobody saw Chief Raphael Okaruefe.It all happened when the Lagos-based Engr. Goodluck Idele who never participated in Isoko politics was nominated to take Isoko South Caretaker Committee Chairman by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. It was all from the power house of Uzere community. The point is that Chief Askia Ogieh is no longer relevant in Isoko politics. The manifestoes of Chief Okaruefe are mere camouflage to deceive Isoko electorates.

One thing to display manifestoes to the people and another to fulfil that promises made.However, Chief Okaruefe is not a grassroots politician and so he has no chances of winning the election. It is time we voted for accessible, reliable and credible people in any given elections than thugs or political manipulators.

There is no permanent friend in politics. Some of the aspirants have hurriedly posted their PDP clearance certificate on the social media. All the three notable PDP aspirants fighting to emerge as the bonafide PDP candidate for the October elections must work as one family not enemies.

Godday Odidi Public Affairs Analyst 08058124798. Lagos