Why Deltans Should Vote For Emerhor/abanum Apc Governorship Ticket On 11/04/2015:
Buhari and APC has won the Presidency and APC would control both the Executive and the two arms of the National Assembly from 29th May, 2015. As it now stands, after last Saturdays PDP criminality and vote rigging in the Presidential and NASS elections, Delta state has no APC Senator nor any House of Reps member to represent us at Abuja.
If Deltans don't get an APC governor on 11th April, Delta would not be represented in the powerful ruling party's Governors forum( becomes APC Governors forum) as PDP is now a minority party). With no representation anywhere it will be minority squared jeopardy for Delta state, if O'tega Emerhor is not in the ruling party's Governors forum from May 29, 2015. Delta can't afford the pain this will cause us. But we still have a chance to redeem ourselves on 11th April, 2015. The duo are very capable and willing to serve hands, untainted by the PDP mess of the last 16 years, of which Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP candidate was an active member.
Make no mistake about it for opposition politics between the state and the Federal government hardly pays in Nigeria, and those who argue otherwise should be reminded of the withholding of Lagos state Local Government Statutory allocations between 2002-2007 during the Presidency of General Olu Obasanjo of the PDP and the AD government of Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos state; not even a supreme court victory by Governor Tinubu would make Obasanjo hand over Lagos state's legal funds entitlement.
Whilst it is true that the federal cabinet must have at least one nominee from each state, only the party in control at the National level- the President's party- would make the nomination and that would not come from the Governor if an opposition party government is in that state. Besides same party State Governors are favoured to nominate up to two Ministers in most cases to fill up the main and junior ministerial posts. There are other patronages and goodies an "allied-to-president's" party governor could attract which are not under statutory limitations. The all powerful Nigerian President has the powers to not only appoint Federal ministers, but also Ambassadors and heads of Missions; Chairmen and members of Parastatals and Government Corporations like NNPC, NPDF, NPA, Aviation, Customs; and heads of the state institutions, including EFCC, ICPC, Police, Army and Navy Chiefs and more. The President are more likely to give these appointments to same-party friendlier states than to party members in opposition governor states.
The PDP has for sixteen long years been at the helm of leadership in Delta, safe for a few years when Ndokwa and a handful of Local Governments in Delta Central voted for opposition party DPP out of frustrations about the ill treatment the ruling PDP continued to meet to Delta people and the emergence of Chief Great Ogboru, an Urhobo with maternal links to Ukwuani and his Deputy was of Ndokwa extraction. Unfortunately the beneficiaries of that epoch protest votes betrayed our people when the National and State Assembly DPP members, all of them clandestinely and surreptitiously cross carpeting back to the oppressor party, PDP, and have now learnt how to seize power by force, without the people's vote- a pattern deployed egregiously during the March 28, 2015 National Assembly elections.
Delta certainly need a change of direction from the unruly and decadent type of governance characterised by waste and mismanagement of the state by the PDP which had a chokehold on its people for a long 16 years. We need a change and for Strategic reasons, the APC ticket of Olorogun O'tega Emerhor and Ogbuefi VOT Abanum offers that change that DELTA state crave for. I therefore make this unequivocal endorsement of the APC governorship ticket over and above those of the LP and PDP candidates. I urge Deltans to use their PVCs to vote the APC candidates, including their local Constituency House of Assembly candidates on Saturday April 11, 2015, so they can be fully supportive of the APC governor to deliver the Bacons to our people in manifold. Long suffering Delta voters must seize this rare opportunity, call it for the APC now and get the glory instead of voting for the LP or PDP candidates who may soon "cross carpet" to the National ruling party and bask the credit by themselves. By the very nature of Nigerian rent system, politicians, particularly the modes in Delta PDP don't like staying in "opposition." As it is now Delta National Assembly members, non of which is in the new ruling party, will not occupy any of the top National Assembly posts- Senate President or Deputy; House Speaker and Deputy; Senate and House Majority leaders and deputies; House of Senate and Reps Chief whip and more, and chair of plum committees of the house. In order to avoid these denials, some, if not most, of them will lead the movement into the ruling APC to get what should be due to Delta and South South zone, but yet unclaimable because of their party status, if in Minority party which the PDP had become.
To my Delta voters for the governorship elections, there is now only a minute chance to redeem ourselves, and I advice that you be wise. Those who sow at the right seasons, reaps bountifully at harvest time!
Tony Ishiekwene
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