PHOTOS show ex-Minister, Prof Oyovbaire addressing politicians at the DC-23 Forum ….on Saturday
By Oluwayemi Davidson, Warri
Former Minister of Information, Professor Sam Oyovbaire has justified the clamour by the Urhobo politicians in Delta Central Senatorial District to produce the Governor of Delta State come 2023.
Speaking at the inauguration and swearing in of members of the Board of Trustees and National Executive Council of Delta Central 2023 otherwise known as DC-23, at the Conference Centre of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area on Saturday, Professor Oyovbaire remarked that the issue of power rotation or zoning has always been an unwritten constitution in the national polity.
Oyovbaire who was the Chairman on the occasion stated that fairness and justice demanded that the Urhobos of the Delta Central Senatorial District should produce the next Delta Governor having conceded the political office to other ethnic groups or Senatorial Districts of the State in 2007 and 2015 respectively.
He said, “The issue of power rotation or zoning or Federal Character has always been there, as a basis for us to learn how to manage one another as people, to ensure equity, fairness and social justice irrespective of our different ways”.
“It is a basic understanding that the Governorship of this State (Delta) should go round Senatorial Districts. We did not start rotation or zoning on ethnic ground”.
While applauding the Convener of the Delta Central-2023 (DC-23) forum, Senator Ighoyota Amori, for the initiative, Professor Oyovbaire remarked that it was a patriotic and noble move to further grow democracy and sociopolitical development in the State.
But he stressed the need for the DC-23 forum to make their agenda all-inclusive.
He also advised the initiators to build bridges of friendship and form alliances with other ethnic groups and Senatorial Districts across the State through persuasion and dialogue in order to achieve the set goal.
“We cannot take other Senatorial Districts for granted”, Professor Oyovbaire stated.
The national Chairman of the newly-inaugurated DC-23, Senator Amori, in his acceptance speech, clarified that the forum is not a political party “but it is a political pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State with a single objective of delivering on the Governorship Project in 2023”.
According to him, “DC-23 is not a parallel body to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State. DC-23 is not formed to be antagonistic to our amiable Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa. DC-23 is not formed to promote disharmony among the three Senatorial Districts in Delta State. Rather, DC-23 is formed to support our amiable Governor to enable him finish strong; to promote inter Senatorial peace, love and unity in Delta State, to create an enabling peaceful environment for succession of the governorship in Delta State”.