***Uduaghan Is Creating Image Of An Unstable Person—Ikpokpo
Fourth term senator representing Delta South senatorial district in the national Assembly, Mr. James Manager, has vowed on Friday, that over his dead body will he leave the seat for the Itsekiri extraction.
Mr. Manager, HardReporters reliably gathered made the boast during a meeting at Emevor, Isoko North local government area of Delta state with councillors from Isoko South and Isoko North legislative arms, saying Itsekiri is of the minority in the district as such does not deserve what belongs to the majority.
A councillor who attended the close door meeting, confided in our political correspondent that the federal lawmaker openly boasted to them that over his dead body will he leave the seat for former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan or anybody from the Itsekiri extraction.
According to the councillor, “Senator Manager, boastfully told us that since nobody from Isoko is ready for the senate, he will continue that even even if it means the next hundred years, he will remain in there, and will never leave the seat for any Itsekiri man. He categorically stated that the Itsekiri is in the minority.”
“Senator Manager, told us that under normal circumstances an Itsekiri man is not supposed to be a governor in Delta state when the seat was zoned to Delta south. It was supposed to be given to me or any Ijaw man with the largest population or an Isoko man but not an Itsekiri man in the minority, but at the end Uduaghan was forced on the state.
Senator Manager, also told us that “Ex-governors have no business in the senate. According to Manager, the ex-governors don’t have anything to offer than bench warming. Manager, said that the privilege of signing cheques and approvals are no longer there for the former governors and because of that the senate is always boring for them hence they don’t attend sittings regularly and like jetting out of the country to overseas to enjoy themselves.”
The councillor who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned, further hinted that, Mr. Manager, also took a swipe at the member representing Warri North Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Michael Diden, AKA (Ejele), who is also vying for the senatorial seat, calling him rascal.
“Manager stated that the senate is not for rascals. agberos and dullards, but for experienced hands, he said the hallow chamber is for respected and dignified persons not illiterates because in the senate there Professors, Doctors, and well read and experienced persons.” the councillor said.
Meanwhile, following the lingering rumours of defection of former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to the All Progressives Congress, (APC), the Delta state chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON), Mr. Itiako Constantine Ikpokpo (Malik), has expressed worries that the immediate past governor who he respects so much was creating the image of an unstable person and “he is more than that.”
The Isoko South local government chairman, however stressed that “Many people are holding back from making comments on Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan out of respect for Chief James Ibori and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and he knows but the gloves may come off soon from the feelers I get. A man must be stable enough to know what he wants, there is too much falsehood in the public space because he is the only one talking now.
“Elections are won and lost on the ballot and James Manager and Michael Diden, (Ejele), are no pushovers. Dr. Uduagjan is our leader and we love him but am worried he is creating the image of an unstable person and he is more than that.” Ikpokpo stated.
As at the time of filing in this report, our correspondent reliably learnt that the immediate governor of Delta state, Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has defected to the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and would be unveiled today at the party’s secretariat in a meeting in Abuja.
