By Norbert Chiazor
This is a cautionary tale of fake suitors and phoney singers.
See all the noise about 2027 especially in Delta. Being an ordinary mortal, why pontificate so boastfully about an unknown future? A tomorrow in the womb of time, tucked deeply in the hands of God.
Today, president Tinubu is enjoying his season. Nothing sells like success.
But even in retrospect, none of the key political actors now pointing fingers at Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for supporting Tinubu government voted for the APC presidential candidate in 2023. Virtually all of them demonized him, working for either Atiku or Obi, particularly in Delta.
Move a little further by Rivers, remember the analogy of Cancer and Malaria in relation to the two dominant political parties.
Politicians. Some want reelection, and others favour it. Everyone loves the man with honey in the village square. That is the nature of our democracy.
This explains the fawning hypocrisy of those denigrating Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his stance on Tinubu administration. Where did he go wrong?
To say the least, it is insensitive for a hitchhiker frolicking on a borrowed seat to deny a co-traveller space on a perceived bandwagon.
Like any other, Sheriff can align with the president as governance is beyond partisanship. If the cordiality boosts his quest for gubernatorial return, why not?
He even stands on better moral ground because he was very circumspect in attacks against Tinubu as presidential candidate two years ago. He was more concerned about his Delta election then and refrained so much from throwing mud and bad vibes.
All through the 2023 campaign podium, Sheriff was civil and demure. Characteristic of his avowed “street credibility” and wit.
The level of mature gait he displayed while rallying for his governorship under PDP, was incomparable.
Most political office seekers were garrulous, tactless in tactics. Whether in PDP, LP and the rest, they took on Tinubu and tore down everything about him, in the worst form of character annihilation, yet in Nigeria’s political history. Even some members of APC surreptitiously plotted to derail his presidential goal.
Today, some of these people are in staged public shout-outs and loud soliloquies, panting chants of approval for a man they once saw as impossible and swore to fail. This goody-goody U-turn must have gotten the guffaws of the president.
People are free to decamp in a democracy but they must spare us noisy sanctimonious platitudes. The populace clearly know where some of these politicians are coming from and where they are headed. It is mostly about self-perpetuation. Nigerians and Deltans are no fools.
In 2027, fortune favours Oborevwori by precedence. Charismatic Ibori made it ( 1999-2007 ), Uduaghan, the pacifist got it (2007-2015), and brilliant Okowa had it ( 2015- 2023). I dare say Sheriff deserves gubernatorial return. By divine grace.
The icing on the cake is yummier: Sheriff is walking strong, working steady, enhancing his electability.
Antagonists of “Leave and Let Die” in Delta, reminiscent of James Bond’s intolerant game, must chill and check their conscience.
While you voraciously rush your borrowed bush meat, allow Sheriff to have his entitled Ukodo. Chance happeneth to all men including Oborevwori.
So far, he is accommodating to Delta North, fair to Delta South and pleasant to Delta Central.
I stand by Sheriff!
– Chiazor is a former Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council and Executive Assistant on Media to Delta Governor
