By Emeke Alexander
One-time Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Ughelli South Local Government Area in Delta State, Chief Vincent Oduaran has reaffirmed his stance on which political bloc should produce the next member to the Delta State House of Assembly from the area come 2023.
Recall that Oduaran had come under attack from some persons from Ughelli South Constituency following comments he made during the official declaration of Olorogun Samson Gordons Okomitie, who is aspiring to represent the constituency under the banner of the PDP in the 2023 general elections.
The former PDP chairman in the area had said during the declaration held on Friday, February 4, 2022, at the Ekakpamre Primary School, Ekakpamre in Ughelli South Local Government Area that: “Ughelli South has two constituencies or two political blocs: Ughievwen axis and Ewu/Olomu axis. Ewu/Olomu axis have ruled for sixteen years in the House. Ewu took it eight years, then Olomu took it eight years, that is sixteen years.
“Now, it is in Block ‘A’ that is Ughievwen axis. Someone is there now running for eight years who is our brother and he is going to hand over to Gordons Okomitie to complete the eight years of Ughievwen axis to make it sixteen years of Ughievwen. Thereafter, it will move back to Ewu/Olomu”.
Speaking with newsmen on Monday, February 7, 2022, in his office at Ughelli, Chief Oduaran carpeted those who according to him are being sponsored to truncate the political harmony that has been existing in the past years in the local government area.
He opined that Ughelli South has two and not three political blocs as currently being canvassed by some persons are either being misled and out of mischief from the Ewu area of the constituency.
The outspoken PDP stalwart asserted that during the tenure of Olorogun Felix Ibru as Governor of the state in 1991, Ughelli South had two constituencies; Hon. Dogood Mokpo of Gbaregolor represented Ewu/Olomu constituency while Hon. J. K. W Jighu of Usiefrun represented Ughievwen constituency before it was streamlined to one constituency by INEC and since then they have been operating in that direction in Ughelli South.
Oduaran, who hails from the Ewu/Olomu axis of Ughelli South said, “We are still playing politics of two constituencies in the local government area. When we started, Senator Pius Ewherido from Ewu was the first man who went for the House of Assembly. He spent eight years and then handed over to Hon Taleb Tebite from Olomu, who spent another eight years. That is sixteen years.
“And things of Ughelli South as they pertain to PDP, for example, we have an eighteen-member executive of the party and when we want to share things in Ughelli South that eighteen will share it into two 9/9. And that 9/9 Ewu/Olomu will take nine names, Ughievwen will take nine names. We will then fall back to Ewu/Olomu to get our names.
“Thereafter, we call a PDP caucus meeting of the local government and we bring the names together to make that eighteen names of PDP exco. That is what we have been doing before I was sworn in as PDP chairman in the local government area.
“And since my reign, that is how it has been. So, no issue of three constituencies in the local government or three blocs. What we know are two blocs. Ewu/Olomu one bloc, Ughievwen North and South one bloc. Now that it has gone to the other side, it is expected that their own (Ughievwen) sixteen must be done.”
Continuing, Oduaran lampooned those who have gone on media attack against him under the aegis of Ewu, Okparabe and Arhavwrien Elite and Youths Political Forum, because of his firm resolve that the right thing should be done to keep Ughelli South cohesive and peaceful going into the 2023 general elections.
“Like those opposing the arrangement are not privileged to be in a position to know very well. They are ignorant. They are doing it for selfish reasons,” said Oduaran.
