The battle of who succeeds Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has began as Oweizide Ekpemupolo Government alias Tompolo, the Ijaw warlord has given former Governor James Ibori of Delta State conditions to choose who will succeed Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as his tenure comes to an end.
Ekpemupolo Government Oweizide has told Ibori categorically that it is the turn of the Delta South Senatorial District of the state, precisely the Ijaw nation to produce the next governor of the state.
According to sources, Ibori has been told by Tompolo to choose either Senator James Manager, representing Delta South in the House of Senate or the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro for the position of governorship seat of the state in 2023.
Also, checks revealed that Tompolo who is a militant warlord of Ijaw nation, is married to the daughter of Senator James Manager.
Ibori has been finding it difficult to make a choice because his intention of installing former Chief of Staff Government House, Edevbie David as his candidate.
In the meeting held with Ibori, it was alleged Tompolo insisted that the candidature of David Edevbie should not be discussed because there was no zoning arrangement in the party.
Tompolo further argued that if there were zoning arrangement, Ibori wouldn’t have planted David Edevbie to contest with Governor Okowa in 2015 primaries of the People’s Democratic Party where it was glaring that Late Tony Obuh’s governorship ambition had been scuttled.
According to sources, the reason for Ibori insisting to install Edevbie as the Governor of the State in 2023, was because Edevbie had assisted Ibori in money laundering in United Kingdom when Edevbie was a bank manager.
This was why when Ibori became the governor of the state, he quickly appointed Edevbie as the Commissioner for Finance.
As Commissioner for Finance, his office was used by Ibori to divert state funds into private foreign accounts.
