Royal Fathers to Ensure ‘Runaway’ Candidates Don’t Win Elections

• Senator Nwaoboshi thanks traditional rulers for backing Okowa

Omon-Julius Onabuin Asaba

Chairman of the Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers and Obi of Owa-Oyibu in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state, HRM (Dr.) Emmanuel Efeizomor, has warned that traditional would henceforth work harder to ensure that politicians who were not in touch with their people do not win any elections.

Efeizomor gave the warning in his remarks during a special New Year homage to the traditional rulers in the state, particularly those from Delta North senatorial district, for supporting the administration of Governor IfeanyiOkowa, organised by Senator Peter Nwaobshi and held at the palace of the Obi of Owa-Oyibu.

The state traditional council chairman lamented that many politicians had in the past come to meet their people while seeking elective positions as aspirants or candidates even though such politicians lived far away and far withdrawn from their people at the grassroots.
When such men and women manage to get into office, they often exhibit oppressive styles, trample on the people who they are supposed to represent and contribute very little or nothing to the development of their communities, he observed.

Efeizomor, who noted that he was well aware of the antics of most elective office seekers in the state having been on the throne of his forefathers for 50 years, stressed that what the royal fathers wanted to see was development of their respective communities rather than the money politicians throw around to capture power though the ballot box.

According to him, the traditional rulers have given unalloyed support to the Okowa-led government because he has not only demonstrated that he is a leader in touch with the grassroots over the years, but has also made visible efforts to touch most communities in the state with various development projects.

He sued for unity particularly among the people of Anioma Nation (Delta North), saying they should rally support for Okowa, forge a common front and speak with one voice in order to attract development to their area.

While thanking Senator Nwaoboshi for according the traditional institution in the state due recognition and respect, Obi Efeizomor said the traditional rulers were prepared to frustrate the efforts of elective office seekers who have not shown evidence of consistent empowerment and support of their people before seeking such offices.

He therefore advised politicians to use the money they throw around during elections to empower their own people, pay school fees for the less privileged or render various support in the development efforts of their communities.

In his remarks, Nwaoboshi thanked the royal fathers for the support for him as well as for Governor Okowa, saying such support and encouragement was invaluable for the success of the numerous development projects of the governor. He noted that despite the prevailing financial crunch in the country, the governor has zealously embarked on “development of infrastructure, provision of social amenities and economic empowerment programmes.”

He said the governor has done well so far and at the right time he (Nwaoboshi) would confidently come to appeal to the people through the traditional rulers to give Okowa a chance for a deserved second term of office.

Earlier, the state commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr. Kingsley Emu, high-lighted the job and wealth creation efforts of the government, and appealed to the traditional rulers to support the development efforts by providing land for different empowerment projects like rice and farming, fishing and oil palm plantation.

Emu noted that many worthy international investors were willing to invest and do business with Delta State and urged the traditional rulers to key into the development programmes of the state through provision of lands and promotion of peaceful environment for meaningful investments.

The event attracted royal fathers from at least 15 traditional kingdoms mostly from Delta North area, including the Vice-Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Pere S.P. Luke Kalanama VIII, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah; that of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Austin Chikezie, and numerous top government functionaries and leaders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.