By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
Former minister, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, two-time Delta State Finance commissioner, Olorogun David Edevbie and Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, have made the final shortlist by the Delta Central 2023, otherwise known as DC-23, towards the 2023 governorship election in the state.
The names of the three 2023 gubernatorial aspirants under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were submitted to the enlarged body of the DC-23 by the Prunning/Screening Committee of Gubernatorial Aspirants Committee set up by the DC-23 on Sunday.
Recall that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had, on several fora, admonished the PDP Delta Central to prune down the number of governorship aspirants emanating from the senatorial district believed to be next to produce the governor based on gentlemanly agreement in the party.
In its preliminary report to DC-23, the committee had earlier, in December 2021, submitted the names of five aspirants from Delta Central senatorial district, including former Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, immediate past state Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye as well as Gbagi, Edevbie and Oborevwori.
The committee was, however, directed to further prune down the number of aspirants to not more than four persons.
The committee, charged with drawing a shortlist of worthy gubernatorial aspirants from the senatorial district, was inaugurated on October 25, 2021 and has Prof Nyerhovwo Tonukari as Chairman and Prof Sunny Awhefeada, Secretary with 12 other members.
The members are: Chief Arthur Akpowowo; Dr. (Mrs.) Augustina Erah; Mr Felix Anirah; Mr. Tony Omonemu; Rev. Fr Christopher Ekabor; Chief Anthony Akpomiemie; Chief Andy Osawota; Mr Raymond Edijala; Dr. Godfrey Enita; Mrs. Florence Jakpovi and Mrs. Rarute Mgbeke.
Areas the committee was directed to beam its searchlight in undertaking the exercise included “acceptability across the state, accessibility, integrity/credibility, capability, development strategy and Pan-Delta disposition.
The committee’s secretary, Prof Awhefeada, who read the report on behalf of the committee, said that the three aspirants were selected after a rigorous process based on the terms of reference given the committee by the DC-23.
He added that the pruning process was concluded on Sunday morning.
Receiving the report on behalf of the lobby group, National Chairman of DC-23 and Deputy National Organising Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ighoyota Amori, commended members of the committee for successfully carrying out the crucial assignment.
Amori, however, appealed to those who did not make the final shortlist to accept the committee’s report and recommendations in good faith.
He described the other aspirants as equally worthy sons of Delta Central and heroes.
The DC-23, after the adoption of the report, called on political leaders and stakeholders across the state to queue behind any of the three aspirants as the decision to pick one among the three now rely solely on Deltans.
Members of the executive committee of DC-23, as well as eminent sons and daughters of Urhobo ethnic extraction and Delta Central senatorial district, witnessed the event.
The DC-23 had gone ahead with the screening of the aspirants, who are all members of the PDP, amid objection to the exercise from certain quarters.
They accused the group of usurping the role and functions of the state and national executive committees of the party regarding determination of eligibility of governorship aspirants.
Already, immediate past state Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, who was dropped from the list, has denounced the outcome, insisting that only Deltans could reject him in the poll and not a few selectors.
The four shortlisted candidates who are all in PDP, are expected to slug it out during party’s primaries ahead of the general elections.
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