I’m still in Delta senatorial race, says Uduaghan

The immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has debunked reports that he has pulled out of the senatorial race for the Delta South Senatorial District.

Uduaghan, a two-time governor of the state, is contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The former governor, who pulled out of the senatorial race in 2015 prior to the PDP primaries for the incumbent Senator James Manager, made the clarification in a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Monoyo Edon, on Monday in Warri.

The statement said Uduaghan spoke at his Warri residence when the Coalition of Bomadi LGA Elders, an Ijaw group led by Rev. Gbenekuru England and other youth bodies from the Bomadi Local Government Area of the state paid him a visit.

The ex-governor was quoted as saying, “I have not stepped down for anybody and I am not going to even contemplate stepping down for anyone. In fact, I have put my hands to the plough and there is no going back. By the grace of God, we will be in Abuja in 2019.”

While stating that he decided to step down in 2015 in order to garner votes to ensure that former President Goodluck Jonathan won the last election, he disclosed that he had all the political machinery to win the last senatorial election.

“It was for the interest of President Goodluck Jonathan’s votes from Delta that made me to withdraw from the 2015 senatorial race, last minute. The stability of the state was very important to me. I needed to concentrate on the state and prepare it for a peaceful transition; otherwise, I had all the machinery to win the seat if I had so wanted it like I do now.

“I have paid my dues in stemming ethnic violence and militia uprising in the creeks to deserve the senatorial seat. How many people can make such sacrifice? How can somebody who has fought many political battles as a serving governor be scared of anybody? That is very laughable to me,” Uduaghan said.

The leader of the groups, Rev England had earlier endorsed the former governor for the 2019 election and assured him that they would mobilise the Ijaw nation in the state to actualise his senatorial bid, having previously sacrificed his ambition for their kinsman, Senator Manager.