By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, ASABA
THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State is expected to unveil its gubernatorial candidate for the 2023 governorship election, Friday, three days ahead the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.
According to the timetable released by the two political parties, APC will hold its governorship primary on May 20, while PDP has scheduled its primary for May 23, three days after.
The contest for APC 2023 governorship ticket, as at yesterday, still remained a one-man affair as only the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, was known to have declared interest on the party’s platform.
Serial governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, who was the party’s governorship standard bearer in 2019, was rumoured to have perfected plans to contest the 2023 governorship election on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. But he has not revealed his game plan.
For the PDP, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori and former Commissioner for Finance, Olorogun David Edevbie, who are from Delta Central senatorial district, are in very hot contention for the party’s ticket.
The Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, and Senator James Manager, representing Delta South senatorial district in the Senate, both of Ijaw extraction, are also strongly battling for the party’s ticket.
Other contenders are former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi; former lawmaker, Ejaife Odebala; former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Olorogun Fred Majemite; former Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor, SAN; Chris Iyovwaye, former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Onajefe-Gift Edejewhro, Mr. Lucky Idike and Chief Abel Esievo.
Also, three daughters of two former governors, Chief James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and the incumbent, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, are gunning for PDP House of Assembly and House of Representatives tickets in primaries scheduled for Wednesday and Friday respectively.
Ibori’s daughter, a two-term lawmaker representing Ethiope-West constituency in the state House of Assembly, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, is running against the incumbent House of Representatives member for Ethiope federal constituency, Ben Igbakpa.
Uduaghan’s daughter and management entrepreneur, Orode Uduaghan, is facing the incumbent lawmaker, Warri North constituency, Alfred Martins, who is the incumbent Deputy Majority Whip, while Mrs. Marilyn Okowa-Daramola seems to have a clear coast for Ika North East constituency ticket.
Vanguard News Nigeria