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Delta Senatorial by-election

Posted on 15th Oct 2013 under HOT NEWS.

Why Aguariavwodo Won
...It’s due to PDP unity and a strong ward structure – Gov. Uduaghan
…Opposition parties were disunited, party EXCO illegal – Delta PDP Chairman
…Various groups’ endorsement of Aguariavwodo
…Uduaghan provided exemplary leadership –Aguariavwodo


image Author: By Onitsha Shedrack, Omafume Amurun
The defeat of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by a wide margin in the last senatorial by-election did not come as a surprise to critical watchers of Delta politics.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the PDP candidate, Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo polled 263,024 votes to defeat eight other candidates. The returning officer, Prof. John Arubayi who announced the result on Sunday morning in Ughelli said APC candidate, Chief O’tega Emerhor, scored 29,075 votes to emerge second while DPP candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone followed with 29,055 votes.  
The end of the opposition parties in Delta began several months ago, following the disunity in the DPP that took his teeming followers for granted and the emergence of the APC which took away several key members of the DPP, including the late Senator Pius Ewherido who is believed to be the driving force in the APC.
The opposition woes deepen, following the emergence of Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo as the PDP candidate for the senatorial by-election; a not so controversial politician, who is even more popular and appreciated in the opposition camp. His emergence actually destroyed the game plan of the opposition, who were expecting an unpopular candidate to be presented by the PDP.
Consequently, during the by-election, Chief Great Ogboru, generally believed to be the pillar behind the opposition in an unprecedented message of disunity within their ranks and declining future, lost his home base, to the PDP. The DPP candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone, not only lost his local government, Sapele, but also his polling unit to PDP.  APC, candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, also lost in his local government, Ughelli North.
Chief Aguariavwodo’s candidature is believed to have helped to consolidate the over one year reconciliation move within the PDP, driven by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Chief Edwin Clark. The Governor noted that the senatorial by-election victory was an evidence that the PDP reconciliation move had been successful
At a victory thanksgiving service last Sunday, in Dr. Uduaghan’s Warri residence, the elated Governor also attributed the victory to a strong ward level politics within the PDP, saying this must be strengthened, as local government election was coming up very soon. “Ward Chairmen are very important. More important than the local government Chairmen”
He then directed that all political office holders and all PDP members must regularly attend ward meetings. The Governor said he would also be attending ward meetings regularly.
Dr. Uduaghan said the victory had placed a heavy burden on the party and appealed for unity within the party. “We must remain united as we struggle for position. When the system comes up with somebody, do not work against the system. The system is deep and there must always be consensus building”. He then thanked all those who steped down and worked for the system.
Speaking on the occasion, Senate-elect, Chief Emmaneul Aguariavwodo thanked Governor Uduaghan for providing exemplary leadership and also for what he did for Delta Central. He promised to always consult with the Governor as he had learnt so much from him.
He promised to serve the PDP and his people to the best of his ability and bring home the dividends of democracy from Abuja. “Everybody worked for my victory. The unity in the party today must not be lost. I do not know how to thank everybody, but I pray that God will reward you all”.
Also speaking on the occasion, the Delta State PDP Chairman, Chief Peter Nwaboshi dismissed both the APC and DPP as a disunited party with illegal EXCOs, as the DPP in particular has not conducted any congresses in the last four years as required by law.
It must be noted that just before the elections, various groups also came out strongly to endorse the candidature of Chief Aguariavwodo. One of such groups was the Uvwie PDP Leaders and Elders Forum said in a statement that Uvwie people and residents must support Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo because, the council areas have not benefitted anything from supporting the Opposition in the past.

Addressing Journalists in Effurun, the leader of the Forum, Chief Portwright Akhieghe said that from all over the developing world, supporting the opposition party was often full of draw backs and that Uvwie people must learn from the past mistakes of supporting the opposition.
Announcing the result at about 5:45am, on the 13th October, 2013, the Chief Returning Officer, Prof. John Arubaye declared Chief Andi Osawota of the Labour Party fourth with 1,602 votes.
 
Arubaye who announced the result under tight security, said the PDP polled 51, 387 votes in Ughelli North, while the DPP, APC, LP and APGA had 5,706, 11,138, 763, 1,211 votes respectively, defeating the APC, Chief O’tega Emerhor and Chief Andi Osawota in their home Local Government Area.
 
In Ughelli South, home Local Government Area of Chief Aguariavwodo, PDP polled 38,931 votes to beat the APC and DPP candidates, who scored 2,412 and 2,552 votes respectively. In Udu, the PDP led with a margin of 53,700 votes to beat the DPP, 4,037 votes and APC 4,598 votes.
 
The PDP overran the DPP candidate, Chief Ede Dafinone who scored 5,003 votes in his Sapele home Local Government with 19,795 votes, while the APC candidate, Chief O’tega Emerhor polled 2,194 votes. Chief Ede Dafinone had 10 votes as against 570 votes scored by the PDP in the polling unit in front of his father’s compound.
 
It was also a work over for the PDP in Okpe Local Government Area, having polled 8,138 votes to beat the DPP with 1,914 votes in the second home of Chief Ede Dafinone with the APC polling 1,065 votes.
 
The dwindling political fortune of the leader of the DPP, Chief Great Ogboru was brought to fore in Ethiope East Local Government, with the PDP polling 10,616 votes against the 5,844 votes scored by the DPP, while the APC polled 3,195 votes.
 
In Ethiope West, the PDP polled 46,571 votes, DPP, 1,449 votes and the APC, 1,912 votes, while the PDP polled 33,886 votes in Uvwie, the DPP had 2,550 votes and the APC 2,271 votes.
 
Reacting to the results, candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, (APGA), Chief David Omoru said; “the by-election is a disgrace to the Urhobo nation. Emmanuel Aguariavwodo was never elected, but imposed on the people by use of force and intimidation.”
 
Omoru in a text message said; “we are going to the tribunal to prove our case for cancellation. My legal team is ready with overwhelming evidence against the PDP.”
 
Commenting on the election, one-time member of the State House of Assembly, Mr Abel Oshevire said; “with this landslide victory, the Urhobos have shown that they could be united behind the PDP.
 
“The PDP is the only party that can deliver the dividends of democracy to the Urhobo people; opposition cannot lead us anywhere. I sincerely thank all those that voted the PDP.”
 
One-time commissioner for Local Government Affairs in the State, Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu who also spoke with newsmen said the victory of Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo and the PDP was a victory for the entire Urhobo nation.
 
 
A chieftain of the PDP in the State, Olorogun Jaro Egbo while reacting to the election results said; “the clean sweep of the PDP in the election is a clear testimony that the original owners of the PDP, which is the Urhobo people have reclaimed their party.
 
“And the Urhobos have also taken a decision and a confirmation of Urhobo decision that they would not be in opposition, but to be reckoned with as we move towards 2015.”
 
Chief Henry Baro, a PDP chairmanship aspirant in Uvwie thanked the people of Uvwie and the entire Urhobo people for turning out en masse to vote the PDP, describing the victory of the party in the election as a victory for democratic dividends for the Urhobo people.
 
Meanwhile, members of Delta Progressives, on Sunday, celebrated the victory of the party in Ughelli, dedicating it to God and the entire people of the Urhobo nation.
 
Speaking to newsmen, Chief Adviser of the group, Dr Innocent Ojefia said the Delta Central was the home of the PDP. Speaking in the same vain, President of the group, Mr. Ogagaoghene Otikpo congratulated Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo for his landslide victory at the polls.
 
 

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