Group to Project Delta Governor of Urhobo Extraction in 2023

By Sylvester Idowu

A Former Delta State Gubernatorial Aspirant and Chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sunny Onuesoke, has reiterated that the Delta Central 23 (DC-23) was created to project an Urhobo candidate for Delta State Governor in 2023.

Onuesoke dispelled the insinuation that the DC-23, a pressure group within the ruling PDP in the state, was created for the personal political ambition of Mr. Ighoyota Amori, who is the leader of the group.

Onuesoke, while addressing journalists at his Agbarha-Otor country home in Ughelli North Local Government Area over the weekend, urged Deltans to disabuse their minds from rumour making the rounds that the National Chairman of DC-23, Mr. Ighoyota Amori is using the group to launder his political image toward contesting for Senate in 2023.

He noted that the suspicion in some circles that Amori has been using the group for his own political ambition, instead of that of Urhobo people has affected the credibility of the group and reduction of its membership.

He insisted that the DC-23 has nothing to do with whatever political ambition Amori is nursing and maintained that the pressure group was created to sustain unity for the common good and for the actualisation of governorship slot, come 2023 under the PDP for emergence of governorship candidate from Delta Central Senatorial
District.

He said: “The DC-23 is neither a one-man show nor a political party. It is a pressure group within the PDP in Delta Central put together by prominent elders and leaders of Delta Central with a single objective of delivering on the governorship project in 2023 to an Urhobo person.”

He traced the history of the leadership position of Urhobo from the days of Western Region House of Assembly till date and noted that DC-23 is a product of the desire of the Urhobo to use 2023 to also provide another unique leadership opportunity by way of producing the next governor.

He disclosed that the group, which has a genuine objective to ensure that a well qualified personality of Urhobo extraction is presented as governorship candidate did not restrain its consultations and sensitisation campaign within Delta Central Senatorial District, but have equally moved to Delta South and Delta North Senatorial Districts.

“Beside moving round nooks and crannies of Delta State, the group whose watch word is ‘Appeal’ intends going beyond Delta State, to Abuja and all parts of the universe for the projection of urhobo candidate.

“The Delta governorship seat has rotated along the following order: Chief James Ibori (Delta Central; 1999-2007), Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta South; 2007-2015); and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta North; 2015-2023).

“Upon the completion of Okowa’s two-term in 2023, it is expected that it would be Urhobo (Delta Central) turn to occupy the governorship seat in 2023 in line with the zoning principle,” he stated.