How Okowa Will Fight Nwaoboshi, Omo-Agege In Delta North

Though Senator Peter Nwaoboshi representing Delta North and and his immediate predecessor in the Senate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for most of the recent past belonged to the James Ibori political family, they had, however, in that period repeatedly fought for ascendancy in Delta North.

Indeed their first open quarrel was in the bid for the 2011 Senate ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta North.

Though Nwaoboshi was the state  party chairman in 2010, he, however, took an open position to support Dr. Mariam Ali, who was the wife of the then national chairman of the party.

Ali’s main challenger was Okowa who had just resigned his position as Secretary to the State Government, SSG in the Emmanuel Uduaghan government to contest the Delta North Senate ticket.

Despite the intimidation from the national leadership of the PDP and the open bias of Nwaoboshi against him, Okowa prevailed in a PDP primary that was telecast live on nationwide television.

Late Sam Obi, Engr. Victor Ochei and Barr Martin Okonta who at various times functioned as Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly were Okowa’s leg men in that contest. In fact, the trio reportedly ferried the official who conducted the primary in a private aircraft.

The fact that the poll was televised live was perhaps the antidote that Okowa used to checkmate the national leadership who may have been embarrassed by the fact that the chairman’s wife was humiliated in the party primary.

Okowa subsequently pushed his way to emerge governor of the state and Nwaoboshi to the discomfort of some in Okowa’s entourage became his successor in 2015.

Now serving his second term, there is apprehension in Nwaoboshi’s camp that Okowa may be bidding to return to the Senate in 2023. Though some around Okowa also believe that the outgoing governor could be positioned to be the running mate to the PDP presidential 2023 candidate who is generally believed to be coming from the North.

Well nonetheless whether running for vice-president or returning to the Senate in 2023, Okowa and Nwaoboshi are set for a battle that would also reflect the struggle for the governor’s successor.

Perhaps to checkmate Okowa returning to the senate, Nwaoboshi in an unprecedented development has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC to team up with Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who is widely believed to be bidding for the governorship of the state on the ticket of the APC in 2023.

The defection of the Delta North senator to the APC sets another battle ground for Nwaoboshi to again act as proxy for another opponent challenging Okowa. Political watchers in the area do not consider Nwaoboshi as a factor in Delta politics any longer.

In 2019, the kitchen cabinet of Okowa was vocal to advise their boss to distance from Senator Nwaoboshi. However, Senator Okowa refused to support Prince Ned Nwoko for the Senate because it was reasoned that in 2023, it would be easier to prevail on Nwaoboshi to handover the senate ticket after two terms than appeal to Nwoko after just a term.

Just as Nwaoboshi fought for Ali against Okowa, he is expected to fight viciously for Omo-Agege against whatever political agenda the incumbent governor may have in his bid to push through a favourable successor.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that Okowa had quite long before Nwaoboshi defected commenced the move of stripping the senator’s political structure by wooing over some of his henchmen.

Among those taken over was Mr. Patrick Ukah, who was reportedly nominated by Nwaoboshi as a commissioner in the first term of Okowa’s government.

Ukah and Nwaoboshi are from the same Oshimili North LGA and the two have reportedly come a long way in politics with Ukah acting as a proxy for Nwaoboshi in many past political battles.

Okowa’s deft move was to pinch Ukah and appoint him as Secretary to the State Government, a position that has pushed the former protegee to a principal in the power equation in Delta North. A source closed to the Governor hinted that Patrick Ukah was earlier nudged to prepare for state assembly.

The permutation changed when Chief Fred Ajudua, kinsman of Nwaoboshi, tore him (Nwaoboshi) to shreds few days after the senator granted disparaging interview against Okowa. 

The deft move by Ajudua, forced Okowa to appoint Patrick Ukah Secretary to State Government, thus allowing the wife of Ajudua return to the state assembly for a record sixth term.

Not a few believe that Senator Omo-Agege is a serious contender to succeed Governor Okowa. And it appears the Deputy Senate President is clearly aware of the situation.

Sources reveal that Okowa apart from pinching from what is left of Nwaoboshi’s power base is also meeting quietly and strengthening his fortress in Delta North.

As one source told  GreenWhiteGreen GWG after one of such meetings, he has instructed his loyalists to secure their bases to wait for instruction on how to go.

That directive is not in any way expected to favour Nwaoboshi or Omo-Agege.

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