2023 Delta State gubernatorial election
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The 2023 Delta State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the
Party primaries were scheduled for between 4 April and 9 June 2022 with the
Electoral system
The
Background
Delta State is a diverse state in the South South; although its oil reserves make it one of the most wealthy states in the nation, Delta has faced challenges in frequent oil spills, environmental degradation, and cult violence in large part due to years of systemic corruption.
Politically, the state's 2019 elections were categorized as a continuation of the PDP's control as Okowa won with over 80% of the vote and the party won a majority in the House of Assembly along with holding two senate seats. For the federal House, the PDP won back one seat lost from a defection but the seat of a different defector from the PDP went to the APC leaving the total results at 9 PDP, 1 APC. Although the state was easily won by PDP presidential nominee Atiku Abubakar, it still swung towards Buhari compared to 2015 and had much lower turnout.
In Okowa's May 2019 inauguration speech, he said that his second term focuses would include establishing nineteen new technical colleges, transport infrastructure, healthcare, entrepreneurship training programmes, and agriculture development.[8] Performance-wise, Okowa was praised for increasing government transparency and improving infrastructure but was criticized for the controversial Delta Line privatization and his administration’s systemic budget misappropriation.[9][10][11][12]
Primary elections
The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, were to take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022 but the deadline was extended to 9 June.
All Progressives Congress
The year prior to the APC primaries were categorized by party infighting between Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and several other Delta APC politicians led by minister Festus Keyamo and Great Ogboru who accused Omo-Agege of hijacking the party to guarantee his victory in the 2023 gubernatorial primary. The two groups held separate parallel party congresses in late 2021 but as Omo-Agege is a high-ranking senator, his faction's congress was recognized as legitimate by the national party and he announced his gubernatorial candidacy in April 2022.[19][20]
Ahead of the primary, Omo-Agege continuously reached out to aggrieved party members in an attempt to unify the party.[27] On the primary date, Omo-Agege was the sole candidate and won the nomination unopposed. In his acceptance speech, Omo-Agege thanked his supporters and claimed that the state party reconciliation had succeeded.[5] However, Ogboru left the party to become APGA's gubernatorial nominee, thus splitting the former state APC. About a month later, Omo-Agege picked Friday Osanebi as his running mate; Osanebi, a former House of Assembly member, was noted to be from the northern region and an ethnic Ndokwa, the group expected to get the deputy slot.[28]
Nominated
- Delta Central (2015–present) and Senate Deputy President (2019–present)[29]
- Running mate—Friday Osanebi: former House of Assembly member for Ndokwa East[28]
Withdrew
- Micheal Ighofose[30]
Declined
- Jaro Egbo: lawyer[31]
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
APC | Ovie Omo-Agege | 1,190 | 100.00% | |
Total votes | 1,190 | 100.00% | ||
Invalid or blank votes | 45 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 1,235 | Unknown |
People's Democratic Party
Analysts viewed the PDP primary as a proxy battle between outgoing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (who allegedly supported Assembly Speaker Sheriff Oborevwori) and former Governor James Ibori (who backed former finance commissioner David Edevbie).[32][20][33] Another element of the race is zoning with the vast majority of candidates coming from Delta Central but two exceptions from Delta South.[20]
Pre-primary analysis noted the previous political closeness of Okowa, Ibori, Oborevwori, and Edevbie before claiming that scandals revolving around Oborevwori credentials could hurt him.
Nominated
- Sheriff Oborevwori: House of Assembly member for Okpe (2015–present) and Speaker of the House of Assembly (2017–present)[52][20][4][6]
- Running mate—Monday John Onyeme: Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue[41]
- Running mate—
Eliminated in primary
- Ikie Agbarianovwe
- Braduce Angozi: former Commissioner for Agriculture[20][4]
- David Edevbie: former Commissioner for Finance, former Chief of Staff to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate, and former Principal Secretary to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua[53][54][20][4]
- Abel Esievo: former Delta State Auditor General for Local Government[55][20][4]
- Lucky Idike: economist[4]
- Chris Iyovwaye: businessman[56][20][4]
- Fred Majemite: former Commissioner and husband of former Ethiope West Local Government Chairwoman Faith Majemite[53][57][20][4]
- Delta South (2003–present), former Chairman of the Delta State PDP (1998–1999), former Commissioner for Sports, and former Commissioner for Works[58][20][4]
- Peter Mrakpor: former state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and ex-husband of former House of Representatives member for Aniocha North/Aniocha South/Oshimili North/Oshimili South Joan Onyemaechi Mrakpor[20][4]
- Ejaife Odebala: former aide to Governor
- Bright Edejeghwro Onajefe-Gift[60][61][4]
- Kingsley Otuaro: Deputy Governor (2015–present)[62][20][4]
Withdrew
- Delta Central (2013–2015) and former House of Representativesmember
- James Augoye: former Commissioner for Works (2015–2019) and former Okpe Local Government Caretaker Chairman (2012–2014)
- Kenneth Gbagi: 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate and former Minister of State for Education (defected prior to the primary to successfully run in the SDP gubernatorial primary)[63][64][65][66][20][67]
- Ediri Idimi: engineer[68]
- Efe Ofobruku: former aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and former House of Assembly member for Uvwie
Results
Candidates' vote share
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PDP | Sheriff Oborevwori | 590 | 71.86% | |
PDP | David Edevbie | 113 | 13.77% | |
PDP | James Manager | 83 | 10.11% | |
PDP | Peter Mrakpor | 9 | 1.10% | |
PDP | Kingsley Otuaro | 9 | 1.10% | |
PDP | Fred Majemite | 6 | 0.73% | |
PDP | Ejaife Odebala | 3 | 0.37% | |
PDP | Bright Onajefe-Gift | 3 | 0.37% | |
PDP | Braduce Angozi | 2 | 0.24% | |
PDP | Abel Esievo | 2 | 0.24% | |
PDP | Lucky Idike | 1 | 0.12% | |
PDP | Ikie Agbarianovwe | 0 | 0.00% | |
PDP | Chris Iyowaye | 0 | 0.00% | |
Total votes | 821 | 100.00% | ||
Invalid or blank votes | 3 | N/A | ||
Turnout | 824 | Unknown |
Minor parties
- Helen Agboola Onokiti (Accord)[69]
- Running mate: Iweanya David Okolie[69]
-
- Running mate: Timis Tonbra Okonma[69]
- Emmanuel Samuel Ogba (Action Democratic Party)[69]
- Running mate: Gift Valentina Okeh[69]
- Action Peoples Party)[69]
- Running mate: Udoka Francis[69]
- Efeoghene Shedrack Ekure (African Democratic Congress)[69]
- Running mate: Happiness Okoro[69]
- Ekene Eze (Allied Peoples Movement)[69]
- Running mate: Oghenefegor Patrick Upama[69]
- Great Ogboru (All Progressives Grand Alliance)[71][69]
- Running mate: Chinedu Sydney Allanah[69]
- Sylvester Umudjane (Boot Party)[69]
- Running mate: Dorcas Ekpe[69]
- Kennedy Kawhariebie Pela (Labour Party)[69]
- Running mate: Julie Nwabogo Efemena Umukoro[69]
- New Nigeria Peoples Party)[69]
- Running mate: Bolaji Anthony Alabi[69]
- National Rescue Movement)[69]
- Running mate: Blessing Tochi Njoagwuani[69]
- Immanuel Edijala (People's Redemption Party)[69]
- Running mate: Glory Ndidi Umerah[72][69]
- Kenneth Gbagi (Social Democratic Party)[73][69]
- Running mate: Ishoma Rosemary Oshilim[69]
- Sunny Ofehe (Young Progressives Party)[74][69]
- Running mate: Eloho Chalele[69]
- Zenith Labour Party)[69]
- Running mate: Eziunor Onyefudsaonu[69]
Campaign
After the primaries in June 2022, observers stated that then-PDP nominee
Despite attempts at PDP reconciliation, a lawsuit challenging Oborevwori's candidacy by runner-up David Edevbie was not withdrawn and emerged successful on 7 July. The court ruling disqualified Oborevwori for discrepancies in his certificates and ordered the PDP to conduct a new primary.[6] Oborevwori immediately appealed the decision and the PDP insisted that he was the party nominee but INEC omitted his name from the list of recognized nominees later in July.[79] Although Oborevwori was reinstated as nominee by an Appeal Court ruling in late August, the month was dominated by PDP infighting and observer questions over the party's electoral strength.[7][80][81] Coupled with the previous infighting was the shadow of Edevbie's appeal to the Supreme Court, which reporters said signified the continuation of the PDP crisis.[46] When the official campaign period began in early October, analysis focused on various candidates while noting that the PDP had not resolved its crisis.[82] The PDP dispute was finally concluded in mid-October as the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Oborevwori, affirming him as the valid PDP nominee.[49]
At the end of October, negative campaigning escalated as Omo-Agege labeled Oborevwori as simply a proxy of Okowa while Oborevwori derided the APC as non-performing.[83] By the next month, the jabs had intensified further with Omo-Agege accusing Oborevwori of running the House of Assembly as a rubber stamp for Okowa while Oborevwori responded by labeling the Senate as a rubber stamp for Buhari. The attacks were in the wider context of internal party rifts within both the APC and PDP as there were notably absences from campaign events by the intraparty rivals of Omo-Agege and Oborevwori.[84][85] As campaigning continued into the new year, pundits noted the seeming disinterest in campaigning from the Edevbie-aligned camp within the PDP along with waves of defections from several parties in January 2023.[86][87][88][89] Other observers noted the renewed political salience of ethnic identity politics.[90] By February, analysts reviewed the chances of each candidate, noting that no minor party nominee seemed to have gained a foothold or have a chance of victory.[91] Premium Times analysis labeled the race as a tossup between Oborevwori and Omo-Agege; noting the outcome of the presidential election and the moves of James Ibori as two key unknown factors before Election Day.[92]
Later in February, focus switched to the presidential election on 25 February. In the election, Delta State voted for Peter Obi (LP); Obi won the state with 55.6% of the vote, beating Atiku Abubakar (PDP) at 26.3% and Bola Tinubu (APC) at 14.7%. Considered a slight surprise—considering Okowa was Abubakar's running mate—the result led to increased focus on the gubernatorial race.[93] Additionally, the presidential result pushed journalists to label Ken Pela (LP) as a major candidate due to Obi's win.[94]
Projections
Source | Projection | As of | |
---|---|---|---|
Africa Elects[a][95] | Tossup | 17 March 2023 | |
Enough is Enough- SBM Intelligence[b][96] |
Oborevwori | 2 March 2023 |
Conduct
Electoral timetable
On 26 February 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission released the timetable, setting out key dates and deadlines for the election.[97] Months later on 27 May 2022, INEC made a slight revision to the timetable, allowing parties extra time to conduct primaries.[98]
- 28 February 2022 – Publication of Notice of Election
- 4 April 2022 – First day for the conduct of party primaries
- 9 June 2022[c] – Final day for the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them
- 1 July 2022 – First day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 15 July 2022 – Final day for submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal
- 12 October 2022 – Commencement of the official campaign period
- 16 March 2023[d] – Final day of the official campaign period
General election
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | Helen Agboola Onokiti | |||
AA
|
Jenkins Duvie Gwede | |||
ADP | Emmanuel Samuel Ogba | |||
APP
|
Annabel Cosmas | |||
ADC | Efeoghene Shedrack Ekure | |||
APM | Ekene Eze | |||
APC | Ovie Omo-Agege | |||
APGA | Great Ogboru | |||
BP | Sylvester Umudjane | |||
LP | Kennedy Kawhariebie Pela | |||
New Nigeria Peoples Party
|
Goodnews Agbi | |||
NRM
|
Emmanuel America | |||
PDP | Sheriff Oborevwori | |||
PRP | Immanuel Edijala | |||
SDP | Kenneth Gbagi | |||
YPP | Sunny Ofehe | |||
ZLP
|
Emmanuel Okoh | |||
Total votes | 100.00% | |||
Invalid or blank votes | N/A | |||
Turnout |
By senatorial district
The results of the election by senatorial district.
Senatorial District | Ovie Omo-Agege APC |
Sheriff Oborevwori PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
Delta Central Senatorial District[e]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Delta North Senatorial District[f]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Delta South Senatorial District[g]
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By federal constituency
The results of the election by federal constituency.
Federal Constituency | Ovie Omo-Agege APC |
Sheriff Oborevwori PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | ||
Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency[h] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency[i] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Burutu Federal Constituency[j] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency[k] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Ika North East/Ika South Federal Constituency[l] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Isoko South/Isoko North Federal Constituency[m] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Okpe/Sapele/Uvwie Federal Constituency[n] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency[o] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency[p] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Warri North/Warri South/Warri South West Federal Constituency[q] | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD |
By local government area
The results of the election by local government area.
LGA | Ovie Omo-Agege APC |
Sheriff Oborevwori PDP |
Others | Total Valid Votes | Turnout Percentage | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | Votes | Percentage | |||
Aniocha North | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Aniocha South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Bomadi | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Burutu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ethiope East | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ethiope West | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ika North East | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ika South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Isoko North | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Isoko South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ndokwa East | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ndokwa West | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Oshimili North | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Oshimili South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Patani
|
TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Sapele | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Udu | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ughelli North | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ughelli South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Ukwuani | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Uvwie | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Warri North | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Warri South | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Warri South West | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
Totals | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % | TBD | % |
See also
Notes
- ^ AfricaElects projections predict the likelihood of a candidate winning a state by categorizing a state as "Safe" for exceedingly likely, "Likely" for somewhat likely, and "Lean" for least likely. If no clear determination could be made, states are categorized as "tossups".
- ^ EiE-SBM projections predict which candidates will win states.
- ^ The original deadline was 3 June; however, INEC pushed it back to 9 June at the behest of parties.[99]
- ^ The original deadline was 9 March; however, INEC pushed it back to 16 March.[100]
- .
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Oshimili South, Oshimili North, and Ukwuani.
- .
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North, and Oshimili South.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Bomadi and Patani.
- ^ Comprising the local government area of Burutu.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ethiope East and Ethiope West.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ika North East and Ika South.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Isoko North and Isoko South.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Okpe, Sapele, and Uvwie.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, and Ukwuani.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Udu, Ughelli North, and Ughelli South.
- ^ Comprising the local government areas of Warri North, Warri South, and Warri South West.
References
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- ^ a b c Nseyen, Nsikak (26 May 2022). "2023: Senator Omo-Agege wins APC guber ticket in Delta". Daily Post. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
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Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State makes the Top 5 governors in Nigeria for his promotion of open governance, with the finances of the state placed in the public domain. We take cognizance of the publication of the state's annual budget and its performance for public monitoring and scrutiny. This, we note, is capable of promoting transparency, integrity in the conduct of government business and ultimately confidence of the governed...The administration's commitment to road infrastructure gets a positive look in.
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We note his efforts at building roads in different parts of the state and specifically commend him for the N18 billion dedicated for building 6 storm drainages to solve the problems of flooding in Warri and Uvwie.
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In Delta State, it is believed that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is supporting the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Sheriff Oborewori, who hails from Delta Central, although the governor had said openly that he had no preferred candidate. A major political godfather in the state, Chief James Ibori, was said to have canvassed for his preference, Olorogun David Edevbie, a former finance commissioner, to be the sole aspirant, a request that was allegedly rejected by many stakeholders. The governor had also insisted that all the aspirants must take part in the primary. It was gathered that the refusal to accept Ibori's choice as the consensus candidate had created bad blood between Oborewori and Edevbie's supporters.
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- ^ Owete, Festus. "Profile of Ifeanyichukwu Arthur Okowa, PDP Vice Presidential Candidate". Premium Times. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
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