In the politics of 2023, two major blocks are in contention for the leadership of the State. For the PDP, Sheriff Oborevwori is considered an Okpe man to assuage the mind and aspiration of the Okpe people to be governor. For the APC, the Ughelli North and Udu Federal Constituency cannot be left opened without any viable position in 2023. The argument for the next governor on the basis of Western and Eastern Urhobo has been fierce. Both blocks have solid argument on why they must be considered in the coming election. The Okpe people, in PDP argument have settled for Sheriff Oborevwori while Ughelli/Udu people have Omo-Agege as their choice.
While APC have properly spread the position of Governor and Senator between Eastern and Western Urhobo, PDP have reserved both positions for Western Urhobo leaving the Ughelli/Udu constituency for APC to feast on. However, that is by the way side. What is important here is the place of origin of both foremost contenders for the office of governor come 2023. While Sheriff is being considered an Okpe man, Omo-Agege is seen as an Orogun man. But Chief Paulinus Akpeki has opened a new chapter to the whole argument of Okpe claim to the office of Governor and Dafinone claim to be a senator in 2023.
In the words of Paulinus Akpeki, both Sheriff Oborevwori and Ovie Omo-Agege are maternally Okpe sons. While Sheriff is paternally from Uvwie, he is maternally from Okpe. Chief Ede Dafinone on the other hand is also Okpe from Sapele. The question, which some writers believe is a dilemma for the Okpe people is whom, between Sheriff and Dafinone should Okpe support in 2023?
Paulinus Akpeki, former Commissioner for Housing, Delta State has provided answer to this question. Ede Dafinone is paternally Okpe man from Sapele. Sheriff is maternally from Osubi in Okpe while Ovie Omo-Agege is also maternally from Aghalokpe, another Okpe village. From Paulinus argument, both men share same maternal root in Okpe. That makes the two men to possess equal statuses as Okpe men. And with Ede Dafinone as senator from Sapele, it will be a win-win situation for the Okpe people. There is therefore no basis for any argument that choosing/voting Dafinone will affect Okpe in the governorship polls. If Omo-Agege wins, an Okpe girl child has won, and if Sheriff than won, another Okpe girl child has won. So Dafinone aspiration is quite in order as it does not in any way offend the aspirations of Okpe to move forward in the next dispensation.
Paulinus Akpeki, in a recent outing had declared that voting Omo-Agege and Dafinone was voting for two Okpe sons and that could bring more benefits to Okpe. In a statement titled: Okpe will vote their sons, Akpeki had argued that with Ede Dafinone in the senate, Ovie Omo-Agege can sit down comfortably that someone is going to take over from him. ‘’Omo-Agege has done well and we are bringing somebody that can step into his shoes. Ede Dafinone will do well stepping into Omo-Agege’s shoes in the Senate’’, Akpeki had said.
With the confirmation of Omo-Agege maternal roots in Okpe, it is clear to all that voting Ede Dafinone will not affect the chances of Okpe producing the next governor if that was any worry to right thinking Okpe people. Omo-Agege is also from Okpe just the same way Sheriff is Okpe. The beautiful thing about the Dafinone and Omo-Agege combination is that while both men are Okpe, they were so generously encompassing of the Western and Eastern Urhobo argument for inclusion. With Dafinone and Omo-Agege, Okpe would be happy to have gotten their sons into both positions while also satisfying the clamour by Eastern Urhobo to be accommodated. That alone makes the Dafinone candidacy more acceptable, gratifying and stunning.
As one Akporero Henry stated in a piece recently, Ede Dafinone represents the best choice to replace the outgoing DSP Ovie Omo-Agege for Senate due to his hugely impressive resume and track record of empowering hundreds through his Dafinone Foundation birthed over a decade ago. Okpe will have no justification to throw away the best for some primordial consideration. Okpe has nothing to lose by voting Dafinone and Omo-Agege. As has been highlighted over and over, both Sheriff and Omo-Agege are maternally Okpe sons. If for instance, Okpe openly disown Omo-Agege and Dafinone which is not possible, what will their fate be if both men eventually win? There is nothing to suggest that Dafinone and Omo-Agege cannot win. With the current state of things in Nigeria and the premium now placed on the power of the voter card, the outcome of the 2023 polls could be unpredictable.
Dafinone is unarguably the best material for the Senate. His clean record and professional attainment stand him out. Besides, the senate is not about Okpe but Urhobo. Urhobo will consider the pedigree of the candidates, the prospect of their representative capacities, the legacies of the Late Senator David Dafinone and the fact of having put Urhobo on the world map through the entry of the Dafinone family into the Guinness Book of Records by producing the largest number of chartered accountants the world over. In the senate, Dafinone would be reckoned with and considered for juicy committees because of his antecedents. He is simply the best. Urhobo will do well to vote this man to the senate so as to bring the best to the land.
Donald Okagbare writes from Effurun, Delta State
