Former governor of Delta State currently serving a jail term, Chief James Ibori, ahead of the 2015 governorship election in the state, has endorsed Mr Tony Obuh and directed all Oghara politicians to support him.
The endorsement of Mr Tony Obuh, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the state by the Ibori/Uduaghan dynasty is an indication that Ibori has been convinced that Tony Obuh will sustain the legacies of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
There are also indications that the former governor has dumped the Urhobo governorship aspirants for Tony Obuh, the alleged anointed candidate of Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.
At a recent political meeting held in Oghara, the state commissioner for transport, Mr Benson Igbakpa, believed by many to be representing Ibori’s political interest in Uduaghan’s government, was quoted as saying that it is the turn of Delta North to produce the next governor of the state.
In the build-up to the 2011 general election, Chief Ibori had allegedly called Igbakpa on phone and directed him to assemble all the PDP chieftains for a meeting, during which he also called, directing them on the way to go, while the phone was put on loudspeaker.
According to a chieftain of the party who did not want his name in print, Chief Ibori had also directed all Oghara chieftains of the party to support Tony Obuh, noting that he is the candidate to beat in the forthcoming governorship election.
Chief Ibori had earlier prompted two Urhobo governorship aspirants on the PDP platform to take a shot at the governorship race, but recently after Obuh’s alleged visit to him in a London prison, he was said to have developed cold feet, and suddenly changed his mind towards the Urhobos.
However, the Urhobos, speaking through one Chief Omeni had insisted that it is the turn of Urhobo to produce the next governor.