By Felix Ekwu
Eleven days after Senator Ighoyota Amori officially declared to contest the Delta Central Senatorial District seat in the 2023 general elections, the rain of endorsements for his ambition by major stakeholders in the politics of Urhobo nation have continued to resonate.
The stakeholders cutting across the eight local government areas of Delta Central and the Urhobos of Warri South and Patani in Delta South Senatorial District were unequivocal in their resolve to match their words with action while speaking on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the official declaration of Senator Amori to contest for the Senate seat of the district which was held at Mosogar in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.
Excerpts of some of their endorsement remarks at the epoch-making event are below:
1. UGHELLI SOUTH – CHIEF E. D. O OBOFUKORO, “Urhobo have the adage, ‘when you want to put a tree in the centre of the river, it is the one that is tall enough that you put there. In this circumstance, for the Senate, Amori is that tree. And Amori is a true son of Urhobo land. Amori, his name is a household name not only in Delta Central but in the whole of Delta State and beyond.
“For that reason, there is no other fellow more qualified to take that position, to go to the Senate this time than Senator (Chief) Ighoyota Amori.”
2. PROFESSOR HOPE EGHAGHA, “As far as I see it, it is not a declaration, it is an endorsement. Chief Amori as we know has been tenacious and has been committed to the Urhobo course from day one.
“I have worked closely with him(Amori) behind the scenes, I know he has wonderful plans for Urhobo. Here is an attestation of the popularity, the wide acceptance of our aspirant who will become the candidate to represent the interest of the Urhobo people in the National Assembly in the Senate. I call on everyone here to give their support.”
3. CHIEF ANDREW ORUGBO, “Urhobo as a people, Senator Amori having gone round the entire Delta State, to ensure that the next governor of Delta State should be an Urhobo man in the name of DC-23, no other Urhobo man dared it. He (Amori) took the lobby to Delta South, he took the lobby to Delta North, not forgetting Delta Central.
“I don’t think Delta North Senatorial District and Delta South Senatorial District will forgive Urhobo nation if it is not Amori. There is no other name, first right of refusal, he has the first right of refusal. Now that he has not refused, now that he has accepted, please, Urhobo we should not disgrace ourselves. Let us give it to Senator Amori.”
4. CHIEF ROBERT ONOME, “We all know him (Amori) already. He has been tested, he is just. So, what do we want? I believe whoever hears the name Chief Ighoyota Amori is going back to the Senate, because the few time he spent there, we know what he did. I am here to endorse completely on behalf of the Okpe people that Chief (Senator) Ighoyota Amori has been tested. He is fit for the position.”
5. PROFESSOR PATRICK MUOBOGHARE, “One thing that goes for him (Amori) which we recognise in Ughelli/Udu Federal Constituency is that Chief Amori has been very consistent.”
6. CHIEF BERNARD EDEWOR, “Amori deserves to go back to the Senate. Amori has done well for Delta. Amori has done well for Nigeria. Amori has done well for Delta Central. What is left is for us to reward him with the position.”
The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, senatorial primary has been scheduled for Saturday, May 14, 2022.
