A foremost political pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, christened Delta Collective Assembly, DCA, has continued its sensitisation of major stakeholders in the state on the need to sustain the clockwise rotation of the governorship seat with visits to some prominent Deltans.
The recent hosts of the group include former Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Benjamin Elue, member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Dame Dr Esther Uduehi, the Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, Kalanama the Eight and the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Efeizomor the Second.
At the various places visited, the convener of Delta Collective Assembly, DCA, Engr Elijah Ologe, said the group with the slogan “Consolidating Peace and Unity in Delta State” is a political pressure group composed of members from the 25 Local Government Areas in the state who are PDP members.
Comrade Ologe, a former chairman of the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and former vice chairman of Patani Local Government Area, said the aim of the group is to sensitise prominent Deltans on the need to support the clockwise rotation for the governorship seat in the state on a senatorial district basis.
He noted that the clockwise rotation of the governorship seat, which started in 1999, has brought political stability, peace and seamless victories to the PDP in the State.
Engr Ologe, a former Executive Secretary of Delta State Scholarship Board, stated that after going round the three senatorial districts, it is the turn of Delta Central Senatorial District to produce the next Governor in 2023.
He stressed that it will be fair and just for the Urhobos to produce the next governor after waiting for sixteen years, noting that if Delta Central Senatorial District is denied, it means the people will have to wait for another eight years making it twenty-four years before emerging as governor. He added that it is not even a sure bet for Delta Central after the twenty-four years.
Engr Ologe explained that the group does not have any candidate but is chiefly concerned about sustaining the peace and unity of the State, as guaranteed by the clockwise rotation of the governorship seat.
He appealed to the former Governor Benjamin Elue, Dr Esther Uduehi, Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom Kalanama the Eight and the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Efeizomor the Second, to use their positions as custodians of culture and peace in the State to help channel the position of the group to the appropriate quarters.
Responding, former Deputy Governor, Sir Benjamin Elue commended members of DCA for the visit, noting that it was the first time a group has visited him regarding 2023 without putting forward a candidate.
He added that the message of DCA which is consolidating peace and unity in the State is simple and will help to assuage the anxiety over recent political happenings in the State that has kept the social media awash with all kinds of reports.
The Deputy Governor described himself as a messenger of peace and promised to carry DCA’s message to the circle of decision-makers of PDP, noting that PDP is one family.
For her part, the member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Dr Esther Uduehi, commended the group for hinging its agitation on peace and unity but noted that it is a bit early to start discussing the 2023 gubernatorial election and promised to make her position known at the appropriate time. She prayed for the success of the group and encouraged its members to sustain their peace move.
The Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, Kalanama the Eight, noted that there has been relative peace in Delta State, since 1999 when the PDP came to power, compared to some states in the country where there are crises. The royal father commended the group for its efforts in sustaining the prevailing peace in the state and called for its sustenance, noting that peace is beneficial to all and without it, there will be no development.
Kalanama the Eight urged DCA to reach out to the leadership of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council and other leaders, including the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and prayed for its success.
The Obi of Owa Kingdom, Efeizomor the Second, who is the Chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, promised to transmit the message of the group to his colleagues and commended the group for its widespread membership across the State.
The statewide consultation of stakeholders on the need to sustain the clockwise rotation of the governorship seat in the state by members of Delta Collective Assembly DCA continues
A delegation of the DCA had recently visited former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe from Delta South; the Owhorode of Olomu Kingdom, Ogbon-Ogoni Oghoro the First (oldest traditional ruler in the country) from Delta Central, as well as the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Chike Edozien from Delta North, on the same issue.
