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Despite strenuous denial that Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa has not anointed any candidate for the gubernatorial flag of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), indications are emerging that the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori is his favoured aspirant to succeed him.
A very reliable top source close to Governor Okowa, who nonetheless wants his name out of print, for now, has revealed.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the source revealed that Governor Okowa after wide consultation and consideration has settled on Oborevwori as his preferred candidate to be the gubernatorial flagbearer of the PDP for the Delta State 2023 governorship election.
The choice of Oborevwori by Okowa may have foreclosed the aspiration of other members of the PDP, including the immediate past commissioner for works of the State, Chief James Augoye, who has dropped his guber ambition and opted to contest for a seat in the State House of Assembly instead.
Other frontrunners in the PDP, who may have had their aspirations hampered as a result are Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Senator James Manager, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, some of whom have already secured the nomination form of the PDP for the 2023 governorship election.
According to the source, Oborevwori is now poised to slug it out for the votes of delegates as Governor’s choice at the PDP governorship primaries that will hold later in the year. He will slug it out with Olorogun David Edevbie, who is former Governor James Ibori’s preferred candidate.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that the die is cast. The Speaker is Governor’s choice, but our leader [referring to former Governor James Ibori] and the Governor have not been able to reach a common ground.
“So, what we are going to see is that Oborevwori and Edevbie will go head to head for the 2023 governorship ticket of the PDP in the primaries,” the source told TNG.
However, the source declined to accept that the adoption of Oborevwori by Okowa has precluded any member of the party that is interested in the governorship ticket from contesting. Our source stressed that it only means that those aspirants have no backing whatsoever.
“No one can be deprived of contesting for the governorship ticket of the PDP. The primaries will be open to all and transparent in accordance with the rules of the party. It is free for all even as Governor Okowa has promised.
“And of course, the Governor has the right to go for the aspirant of his choice. It only means that other aspirants do not have backing whatsoever. But the primaries will be free, transparent and fair,” the source disclosed.
2023: Augoye drops out of guber race, opts for House of Assembly
Meanwhile, indications have also emerged that the immediate past commissioner for works of Delta State, Chief James Augoye has dropped his ambition to contest the 2023 governorship election of the State.
TNG reliably gathered that Chief Augoye dropped the ambition of contesting the 2023 gubernatorial polls after meeting with Governor Okowa, and opted to contest for a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly, following negotiations with the governor.
It was also reliably gathered that after the meeting with Okowa, it became obvious that the Governor has had his mind fixed on the Speaker of the State House of Assembly as his choice aspirant for the governorship election.
“Actually, Augoye had always been in the picture. But with Okowa’s meeting with him very recently, it became more obvious that he is not the Governor’s choice.
“He is left to go for the House of Assembly if he so wishes to go for an elective position. Since there is no strong contender for the Okpe State Constituency, it was advisable for him to seek to be elected in that capacity.
“But, as I have said, the governorship race is an open field for all aspirants to contest. Any aspirant who wants to throw his or her hat in the ring is allowed to do so. No one is barred from contesting the PDP governorship primaries,” the source told TNG.