‘Itsekiri Turn And Capacity’, Propel Uduaghan To Set Sight On Senate Seat
The Oasis Reporters
April 19, 2018
By Okerieke Aloy, Warri
Immediate past Governor of Delta state, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan has said that his Senatorial ambition for the Delta South Senatorial District is not ethnic based rather, on the ground that he has all it takes to effectively represent his constituency.
Dr. Uduaghan made this assertion yesterday in his remarks when members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents Chapel paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in the Oil City of Warri.
He noted that courtesy demands that all the ethnic groups that make up Delta Senatorial District be given opportunity to take a shot at the Red Chamber and in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play it will be reasonable that other ethnic groups within the district give the itsekiris the chance to present a candidate to fly the flag.
He however cautioned that if the itsekiris are serious about the Delta Senatorial seat, they should in the overall interest of the Senatorial District, Delta state and Nigeria in general pick their best to represent the people; adding that the Itsekiri person that is qualified is free to jostle for the primaries where the best will emerge.
” They can even call us for a debate. The Itsekiris need the Ijaws and Isokos to actualize this ambition. I am not going to the Senate because I am Itsekiri. My aspiration is not ethnic but knowledge and capacity based. It is the turn of the Itsekiris for the Senatorial race. It’s going to be less stressful but no election is easy and I am not taking it for granted”
Furthermore Uduaghan disclosed that he was gunning for the Delta Senatorial seat to make the required laws that will attract development as well as improve the income of the Niger delta people stressing that even though he has not made any formal declaration to that effect, it is certain that he will make his intentions known in no distant time.
” I have the capacity, knowledge, experience and contacts to do the needful at the Senate. Legislation is about lobbying. Being a Legislator, you must have the ability to lobby. If you have the capacity, it is easier for you to get things for your people and I think I have the capacity not only to lobby but to think for my constituency”.
Delta state PDP has the unwritten rule that elective positions should be rotated among the three senatorial districts at intervals. The Ijaws, Isokos and the Itsekiris constitute the Delta south senatorial district. James Manager has been it’s senator for at least the last three tenures representing at first, Ijaw while Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan was governor for two terms. Incidentally, Senator Manager’s mother is partly Isoko. He stayed on for another tenure claiming to now represent the Isoko people. It is only fair that the position moves to the Itsekiri. But then, it means Manager will be going away with his long experience. Since this is all about fairness and equity, the position has to be fair to others as well.
