2023: Ijaw Group Blasts Esiso, Says He Lacks Power To Determine Next Governor Of Delta State

By Binebai Princewill

A group under the aegis of Ijaw Defenders Mandate (IDM) has said that the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Esiso lacks the power to determine who becomes the next Governor of the state.

IDM said this in response to Esiso’s statement that Delta Central will produce the Governor in 2023, adding that other person’s jostling for the party’s Guber ticket are waisting their time.

The group made their reaction known to newsmen in Warri yesterday via a statement signed and issued by Comr. John Gbozimor, president general of Ijaw Defenders Mandate (IDM).

In the said press statement, IDM noted that it is reacting to a remark credited to the Delta State PDP Chairman, Barr. Kingsley Esiso wherein he recently made claims that it is Delta Central (Urhobos) that will produce the next Governor of Delta State come 2023.

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President general of the Ijaw Defenders Mandate (IDM), a leading socio cultural group in the Niger Delta region described the statement credited to Esiso and his crew members as not only provocative but also shameful, childish and undemocratic.

Comr. Gbozimor asserted that from the statement made by Esiso and his Urhobo kinsmen, “it is clear that Barr. Kingsley Esiso does not understand the dynamics of Delta State politics.”

The IDM President noted that he is not surprised that such a statement is coming from Esiso an Urhobo man, stressing that he must always advocate for his people just as other ethnic groups will always advocate for their people as well.

John Gbozimor particularly warned Esiso not to speak as if he is speaking on behalf of all Deltans, emphasising that he is a frontliner for the Urhobo ethnic nationality and must not act as if he is trying to stop others from agitating for their people, adding that the Ijaws in Delta State must produce the next Governor of the state.

Gbozimor wondered where Esiso was when Olorogun Felix Ibru, an Urhobo from Delta Central became Governor of the state and later
Chief James Onanefe Ibori an Urhobo man again from Delta Central was made Governor by Deltans who later handed over power to his brother, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan, an Itsekiri man from Delta South and now Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa from Anioma, Delta North.

Gbozimor stressed that the Ijaw man in Delta State must not be seen by only supporting other tribes to be Governors but should also be given the chance to produce the next Governor of the state for equity, fairness and justice.

This, according to him, is very important to balance the imbalance political ratio in the state.

He however called on Ijaw political leaders, youth groups and all those who think well of the Ijaw nation to speak up on this matter, saying that the time is now or never.

“Virtually all governorship elections in Delta State, the Urhobo man has virtually contested almost all elections in the state. Where was the zoning then, where was Esiso and others then?”

John regretted that despite the economic viability and political contributions of the Ijaw people in Delta State, people are still ganging up against them, stressing that it is not fair.

He said Esiso should have focussed more on strengthening the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ahead of 2023 and not to be making statements that are capable of weakening the party as his reemergence alone too does not even go down well with many in the state.

Comr. John had warned that if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is to survive beyond 2023 in Delta State, the Governorship ticket has to be given to an Ijaw man.