How Keyamo Upstaged Uduaghan, Ogboru, Kachikwu For Delta Ministerial Slot

By Emmanuel Aziken

The emergence of Festus Keyamo as the ministerial nominee for Delta State may have put on hold expectations of peace in the troubled state chapter of the party.

President Muhammadu Buhari went beyond the main factions in the party to pick a nominee who on the surface is seemingly not aligned to any of the main factions of the party.

However, there is little doubt that the nominee would have been endorsed by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy President of the Senate and the highest political office holder from the state.

It was known that ahead of the nomination several of the tendencies in the state had been gesturing towards him with the expectation of getting his backing.

Ahead of the nomination, Olorogun O`tega Emerhor, the leader of what his group describes as the Mainstream Faction had dramatically withdrawn his case against Omo-Agege in the court.

Emerhor and his allies had been agitating over control of the structure of the party in the state and had claimed that the withdrawal was to ensure peace in the state in furtherance of the instruction of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Nonetheless, his peace offering nonetheless, the gesture was immediately rejected by the Prophet Jones Erue led executive which is aligned to Omo-Agege and Great Ogboru.

Though Keyamo’s name was not totally surprising given his role as director of strategic communication in the Buhari Presidential Campaign, the choice is bound to disappoint the camp of those who had been in the running for the single slot.

Emerhor is about the most prominent person given what was supposed to be the gentleman’s agreement that his faction of the party would be considered in the nominations for Federal Government positions during the pre-election negotiations for peace.

However, Emerhor and his group would not fault anyone given the claim that his group did not cease the fight as expected before and after the elections until a week ago.

Another name that was mentioned for the ministerial position were the immediate former minister from the state, Dr. Ibechukwu Kachikwu. Dr Kachikwu it seemed, however, appeared not to get well with Omo-Agege and that could have played a serious damage on his return. That is besides the whispers by his political foes that he was a closet member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a claim he repeatedly denied.

His commitment to the APC was showcased by the way he managed the APC Presidential Campaign and sought to bring everyone together.

Another major disappointment would have been Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the immediate past governor of the state.

Uduaghan’s strength laid in his closeness with the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. However, given the quake caused by the disqualification of his rivals for the Delta South Senatorial ticket, his nomination would have also caused more disquiet in a party that has never been one in the state.

Besides, Uduaghan was also not close to Omo-Agege, the poster boy of loyalty in the party in the Presidential Villa.

One man who is close to Omo-Agege who was mentioned was Chief Great Ogboru, but willy-nilly the Peoples General who fought alongside Omo-Agege did not emerge.

It is easy to assume that Keyamo’s prominent role in the Presidential Campaign would have weighed to his advantage over Ogboru.

Some associates of Ogboru would be tempted to believe that Omo-Agege did not push well for Ogboru, a development that could further widen the tension between both men that was masterly covered up at the peak of the last General Election.

Some party operatives were miffed that Ogboru as the party’s governorship candidate conceded many issues to some new party chieftains like Uduaghan. Ogboru was said to have sacrificed several of his associates who emerged as candidates to Uduaghan.

Omo-Agege even though disappointed was said to have kept quiet in the face of what was seen as the easy way Ogboru kowtowed to Uduaghan.

With Keyamo as the minister the other camps who may feel disappointed may yet return to the trenches from where they came from.

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