There are indications that radical lawyer, critic and social crusader, Festus Keyamo, may have decided to take a shot at the Delta State governorship seat in 2015.
A source close to the human rights activist said that Keyamo is left with no other choice than to challenge what was described as “family trend leadership in the oil-rich Niger Delta state, where a governor finishes his tenure and hands over to a cousin.”
The source said that former governor of the state, James Ibori, after his eight years governorship in the state, handed over to his cousin and incumbent, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who will be completing his second term in 2015.
The source further alleged that Uduaghan “is already perfecting plans to handover the governorship of the state to another cousin of theirs, a plan the Keyamo group has vowed to not only oppose, but frustrate in the interest of the people of Delta State.”
According to the source, “Keyamo has given his best to Nigeria at the national level as a lawyer and rights activist and needed to return home to give his best to the people of his home state.”
In what appears to be a confirmation of the development, the Lagos State based lawyer, in collaboration with other Deltans, has launched a socio-political organization known as Delta Forces United, which has promised to make useful contributions to social-political issues concerning Delta State.
According to a press statement issued by Henry Ukusare, the Pro-tem Secretary of the group, the Keyamo-led DFU has as part of its agenda the discovery of a new leadership for Delta State, against what it called promoting leadership on the narrow platform of any ethnic group.
The group is also stressed that the political future of Delta State rests squarely in the hands of the people of Delta State and not in the hands of those it described as a selfish few who have always decided the political future of Delta State and her people.
A statement, which contains the group’s seven-point agenda issued on Wednesday in Lagos reads: “Lawyer, critic and social crusader. Mr. Festus Keyamo and other patriots have launched a socio-political organization in his home State, Delta State called the Delta Forces United. It will make useful contributions to social-political issues concerning Delta State. In this regard, Deltans, residents of Delta State, Deltans in diaspora and friends of Delta State are invited to join hands with us in this patriotic endeavour.
“The organization is open to everyone, especially those who believe in the following objectives/principles:
“1. That the only way to discover a new leadership for Delta State is not by promoting leadership on the narrow platform of any ethnic group.
“2. That the political future of Delta State rests squarely in the hands of the people of Delta State and not in the hands of a selfish few who have always decided the political future of Delta State and her people.
“3. That the only way to return Delta State to the people is through mass mobilisation and mass participation in the political process and not by cynicism, despondency and political abstinence.
“4. That the culture of making ‘political leaders’ and ‘godfathers’ out of those who only dole out money to a selfish few to secure political support is the root cause of underdevelopment of the State.
“5. To develop a comprehensive blueprint for the reconstruction and development of Delta State.
“6. That the only way to develop Delta State from her present position to a frontline State with the huge resources at our disposal is not to continue on the part of impulsive leadership with questionable past and character, but to insist on a new leadership with a transparent past, proven track record of service to the people and the fear of God.
“7. That the urgent reconstruction and development of our State by a trusted and competent leader is far more compelling and important than the insistence on future leadership emerging from a particular ethnic group.”
Keyamo’s law chambers in Delta State, Lagos and Abuja are current serving as offices of the group.
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