RE: 2015: OGBORU, EWHERIDO BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF DPP

I crave your indulgence to clear the air on some misrepresentations of facts by Paul Osuyi in his report with the above title (The Sun, May 19, 2013). First, the Democratic People’s Party did not withdraw from the APC merger, as alleged by Osuyi. DPP is very much part of the ongoing merger. This is what happened. The National Executive Committee of DPP met on February 14, 2013 and a decision was reached for DPP to be part of the emerging All Progressive Congress. Present at that meeting were almost all the people that matter in DPP: Gen. Magashi(rtd.) Chairman, Gen. Jeremiah Useni, former chairman; Sir Olisaemeka Akamukale, Deputy National Chairman; Senator Pius Ewherido, only DPP senator in Nigeria; Chief Great Ogboru, DPP governorship candidate in the 2007and 2011 elections; Hon Austin Ogbaburhon, only DPP member of the House of Representative; Chief Tony Ezeagu, Chairman, Delta State DPP; Comrade Frank Kokori, Hon Julius Okpoko of Delta State House of Assembly among many others. Incidentally Ogboru and Ned Nwoko delivered the DPP NEC resolution to the APC secretariat. Subsequently a committee of 12, including Ogboru and Ewherido, was set up and given 21 days to report back to NEC.

It was at this stage that some prominent members, including Ogboru for personal reasons, became lukewarm towards the merger. But Senator Ewherido and others continued with the task the party’s NEC had given to the 12-man committee. After 43 days, rather than the 21 days within which the committee was to report back, with Gen. Magashi, the national Chairman, still incommunicado, then Deputy National Chairman, Olisaemeka Akamukali, called the party NEC meeting where the report of the committee was adopted. At that meeting too, a resolution was passed for Akamukali to become acting national chairman, since the chairman, Magashi, was nowhere to be found to perform his duties.

Thereafter, a Special Convention of DPP was called and it was held on Tuesday, 30th April 2013 in Abuja. The statutory notice was given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and an INEC team led by a National Commissioner came as observers and monitors. For a convention to hold there must be proper delegates from 22 states of the country. The Convention held on the April 30, 2013, was attended by delegates from 33 states. Among others, the Convention’s resolutions were:

1.     That the DPP be dissolved and merged with other Political Parties to form  the APC.

2.     That the Acting National Chairman, Sir Olisaemeka Akamukali, become the National Chairman for the remaining period of the Party’s existence, to oversee the proper and effective entrance of the Party into the APC.

How then can anybody claim Akamukale proclaimed himself chairman, when it was done at a special convention with INEC representatives in attendance? Or how can you describe the convention as kangaroo when an INEC commissioner led an INEC team to observe the convention? It was the same scenario in the ACN, ANPP and CPC convention. What now makes DPP’s a Kangaroo convention? Let those making noise organise a proper convention fulfilling all party and INEC guideline so that the world can see them.

Mr Tony Ezeagwu, erstwhile chairman Delta DPP is being economical with facts when he said that DPP’s application was rejected by APC. At no time was the application rejected. What happened was that APC told DPP to withdraw the application letter and expunge a particular portion that portrayed DPP as not being totally committed to the merger. This was done and DPP continued to participate in the merger talks. If we are to believe Ezeagwu what now prompted his group to constitute another merger committee and approach the same APC he claimed rejected DPP? Ezeagwu also said his group is not interested in an unregistered APC. So, why the sudden U-turn? APC is still unregistered. These people are hypocrites. Publicly they tell the whole world they are not part of APC, but secretly, they are begging for admission and concessions in APC!

Osuyi also said the leadership of DPP in Delta is unhappy with Senator Ewherido because he is romancing APC while Ogboru’s case against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is still pending at the Supreme Court. The questions are: Was the case not pending at the Supreme when Ezeagwu, Ogboru and other members of their group voted for the APC merger at the DPP NEC meeting of February 14, 2013? Is it only the Delta State governorship election that is at stake in 2015? What about the elections to the state and federal legislatures? Is DPP all about Delta State only? What about other states of the federation?

Then they take their cheap propaganda further by claiming they are lukewarm towards the APC merger because of President Goodluck Jonathan’s ambition to go second term. They do not want to go against the interest of a fellow Niger Deltan. Didn’t they know about Jonathan’s second term ambition before they participated in the earlier merger talks. These people should tell the whole world what their problem is and stop creating avoidable crisis and confusion: they want automatic governorship ticket in 2015 and the emerging APC has refused to guarantee that.

One more point of correction, please: Ewherido did not ride on Ogboru’s back to the senate. Senator Ewherido had won elections to the Delta State House of Assembly twice before contesting the senatorial elections. He was at various time the number three and number four citizen of Delta State, as acting speaker and deputy speaker. He was a major political player in Delta State even before Ogboru came back from exile. This was why Ogboru invited him to join him in prosecuting the 2010 governorship rerun. It is instructive that until Ewherido joined DPP it had no single elected member; not even a councillor. He participated in building the party to its current height. Even if you deny him any credit, you cannot deny the fact that it was only after he joined DPP that the party produced a senator, a house of representative member who incidentally is from Ewherido’s federal constituency and a third of the state assembly members before the courts and decamping depleted the number. So while I do not deny the fact that Ogboru, as a party leader, contributed to Ewherido’s election to the senate, Ewherido did not ride on his back. Ogboru contributed to Ewherido’s election like other party leaders and members.

Finally, I do not think the current situation portends any danger for the opposition in Delta State. It is just a phase. Basically some grains will die and out of them will spring fort a formidable opposition capable of winning the 2015 elections in Delta State.

Justice Iyasere is the special Assistant to Senator Ewherido on Media

Two Years On - Distinguished Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido In Retrospect

As he said during the inauguration of the 7th senate and his swearing in as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the Senate Chamber on Monday, June 6, 2011:

“By the grace of God I will redeem all my electioneering promises for my constituents by making sure I draw the federal government’s attention to the problems confronting my people”. He further promised jobless youths and graduates of his Constituency that he will immediately set in motion, a machinery to pool them and gradually secure job opportunities for them as the openings come. He also promised to draw the Federal Government’s attention to providing infrastructural facilities that would improve the standard of living of his Constituents. Reiterating his determination to also draw the Federal Government’s attention to the oil and gas wealth abundant in his constituency, he promised to make sure a responsible management of the resources accruable from oil and gas exploitation in the Niger Delta region is put in place to benefit majority of the people of the region.

With such strong words of commitment to the nation building of a New Nigeria, Senator Pius Ewherido has taken the challenge of leadership. Ewherido understands the task before him. It is without doubt a challenging task. The problems that he has to contend with are multi- farious and highly complex. In the senate of 109 members, he is a lone DPP senator. It takes gut and a level of proficiency and outspokenness for one to register a mark in such settings. Senator Ewherido, in the past two years has been able to give account of himself with an impressive and enviable performance record on the floor of the senate. 

Drawing from his wealth of experience as Deputy Speaker and Speaker of the Delta State House Assembly for 8 years, Senator Ewherido ranks among the best 10 senators in the present senate in terms of boldness, articulate contributions to debates on the floor of the Senate, mesmersizing texture of eloguence and the sublime grandeur of his logic and philosophical depth. His youthful and patriotic energy become handy whenever the opportunity arises for him to take the floor and make contributions to issues. Senator Ewherido, in the past two years has distinguished himself in this challenging environment as a man fully armed to stand for his people in the senate.

As a pioneer Deputy Speaker of the House in 1999 and was for over a year the acting Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly during which time he provided very distinguished, vibrant and robust leadership.

Senator Ewherido was not just a leader in the house; he was a lawmaker par excellent. In his eight years in the house he moved over 40 motions that were adopted and sponsored and co- sponsored eight bills among which are:

1) Law Prohibiting Harmful, Cruel and Discriminatory Practices Against Females and Widows
2) Prohibition of Female Circumcision and Genital Mutilation
3) A Law to Make Policy Provisions for Employment of Indigenes in Delta State and for Other Matters Connected Therewith.
4) A law to Make Provisions for the Establishment of Delta State Blood Transfusion Databank and Other Incidental matters, 2006
5) A law to Make Provisions for the Amendment of Legal officers (Harmonisation of salaries with magistrates) Law in 1996 and for other matters connected therewith
6) Employment of Legislative Aides, Employment Protection for Deltans in Junior Staff category in Establishments in Delta State, 1999.
7) A Law to Provide for the Grant of Bursary and Award of Scholarship to Students of Delta State Origin in Educational Institutions and Matters Connected thereto

In his time in the house, over 10 roads were constructed in his Ughelli South Constituency, over 20 towns and villages were provided with electricity, over 15 towns and villages were provided potable drinking water, a lot of primary and secondary schools were given face lift in the local government, among many other projects. It was mainly in appreciation of his performance that he was overwhelmingly voted back to the house in 2003. 

Ewherido contested the PDP governorship primaries in 2006. Dissatisfied with the conduct of the primaries, he withdrew from active politics in 2007 after his tenure in the house ended. In 2010 he switched camp to the Democratic People’s Party. He contested and won the DPP Delta Central Senatorial primaries before going to win the main election in 2011. Since 2011, even as a lone DPP senator, Ewherido has been giving the people of Delta Central vibrant and effective representation, drawing from his experience as a state legislator. In less than two years in the senate, he has sponsored four bills. They are:

1) A Bill for an Act to make provisions creating the offence of Corporate Manslaughter and matters incidental thereto.
2) A Bill for an Act to Establish the Welding Standards Regulatory Council of Nigeria.
3) A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of The Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for Devolution of more responsibilities to States And Public Sector Accountability (by the creation of the office of Auditor General of the Federation as distinct from The Office of The Auditor General of The Federal government of Nigeria).
4) A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to streamline the jurisdiction of the appellate courts for quick dispensation of justice and for matters incidental thereto.

Majority of the bills Ewherido has sponsored since his days in the state assembly are people- oriented which lends credence to his humanist disposition. Ewherido is a man of the people, a thoroughbred grassroot politician. He has also co-sponsored 12 motions so far in the senate. He has attracted developmental projects, scholarships, job opportunities, training locally and abroad among others

to his constituents and constituency.

A remarkably urbane, cosmopolitan, public-spirited and new-age politician, that has a mind that is well attuned to the Winston Churchill dictum that “The price of greatness is responsibility”. He has a moderated view about life and he is far removed from the prevailing haughtiness and vacuous hedonism that rudely characterise our political firmament.

George Igbi’s Meaningless Rants By Justice Iyasere

Once you are in politics, especially in this part of the clime, you must be prepared for the unusual. However, no matter how prepared you are, you can never fully comprehend some of the absurdities that you come across. The latest is an incoherent, disjointed and poorly-written article by one George Igbi: “2015: Great Ogboru should be given another chance.”(Urhobo Times, May 2, 2013, p.17). His request, as the headline suggests, was not addressed to anybody in particular, although he went about abusing various individuals and institutions before ending up with the favourite topic of disgruntled DPP members: abusing Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido. If the God of George Igbi has already anointed Chief Great Ogboru  as the next governor of Delta State come 2015, as he claimed, he should go ahead and do thanksgiving to his God. Why bring the senator into the matter by abusing him?

Ordinarily, igbi does not deserve a response, but for the sake of the reading public, I will dignify him with one. He said: “Senator Ewherido is a disobedient politician. We see him as someone who is biting the finger that fed him. Somebody invited you to come and eat and you decided to hijack the food…”  

Who is Ewherido disobedient to? On April 28, 2013, he rendered the account of his stewardship in the last 22 months to his masters, the people of Delta Central. The who is who in Delta Central, including majority of the Urhobo Ivies, were there. They were all happy and satisfied with his representation. Nobody complained that he is disobedient. They also did not complain that Ewherido has bitten any finger that fed him and that is what matters. So who are the “we” Igbi is talking about? I am also at a loss as to the “somebody who invited Ewherido to come and eat,” but I will hazard a guess because this thread of argument sounds typical and familiar.

It is public knowledge that Senator Ewherido contested the PDP primaries in 2006. He was not happy with the conduct of the primaries and decided to withdraw from active politics after his tenure ended in the Delta State House of Assembly. During this period of siddon look politics, PDP made numerous overtures, I do not want to detail here, to him to come back and actively participate in party activities.  So it was not as if PDP suspended Ewherido or he was a political outcast during this period. He withdrew from active politics based on principles. So nobody can talk about politically rehabilitating Ewherido because he did not need it; he was not in political desolation; his political machinery then even though inactive was also intact.

Shortly after the annulment of Uduaghan’s election in 2010, Ogboru personally approached Ewherido to team up with him to win the governorship rerun, a request, which, to the consternation of some of his supporters, he obliged. Ogboru did not invite Ewherido to come and eat; he could not have invited Ewherido to eat because there was no food. In Nigerian political parlance, when you are invited to come and eat (as the late Bola Ige was told) it means being invited to share the spoils of office after an election has been won, not before electoral victory. An invitation before election means to come and work towards victory. That was the invitation Ewherido got. At the time Ewherido joined DPP, the party did not have even a local government councillor. One commentator put it succinctly: “There was no food in DPP when Ewherido joined. If dinner was ready and served, Ewherido would not have been invited because he would have been of no use to DPP; he would have been surplus to requirements. All DPP had were some food ingredients. Ewherido was brought in to bring more ingredients that were not available; Ewherido and others who joined in 2010 completed the ingredients and actively participated in cooking the dinner, in the process showing old DPP members culinary skills they never knew existed.”

Igbi, you are not only poorly educated, you are also ill-informed. You said Ewherido had no political group before he contested the senatorial seat. In his PDP days Ewherido had a group called Democratic Treasure Forum (DTF). Then he formed Delta Coalition for Change. This is the group he came into DPP with. And now he is part of the Prudent Democratic Movement (PDM). It is your problem if you have issues with PDM.

The rest of your write-up is incomprehensible and does not make sense, so I do not even know how to respond to it. You certainly can do with some self-development by going back to school, whether formal or informal. For the sake of posterity, however, it is necessary to make a few clarifications.

One, when Ogboru approached Ewherido in 2010, his request was for Ewherido’s assistance to help him win the governorship rerun. There was no other election in 2010, so it was all about the rerun. I dare to say that Ewherido worked vigorously for Ogboru’s victory. He worked harder than all these people making noise and abusing him in the newspapers and other platforms. Nobody can fault Ewherido’s commitment towards Ogboru’s victory at the 2007 governorship election, (yes, and 2007 governorship election), the 2010 governorship rerun and the 2011 governorship election. That is why even the most violent of Ewherido critics have not accused him of being culpable, overtly or covertly,  for Ogboru’s inability to ascend the governorship seat.

Two, Ewherido’s contesting the senate seat on the platform of DPP was incidental to his being in DPP then to help Ogboru win the governorship. If Ogboru had not invited Ewherido to join him in the rerun project, Ewherido would not have switched to DPP and his God who had destined him for the senate would have made another way to enable His (God) wish come to pass; so those taunting him about the DPP platform should give me a break. Ogboru and Ewherido’s liaison was initially solely for the sake of Ogboru’s governorship in 2007 and subsequently the rerun in 2010. It only became symbiotic in the 2011 general election. Maybe someday the senator will break his silence on this issue and all these noise makers will shut up forever.

Three, Senator Ewherido has always been guided by the interest of the Delta Central people whose sacred mandate he is in custody of and the larger interest of Deltans. These interests supersede any personal interests and ambitions including Ewherido’s.  All those who have problems with this position should wake up and catch up with reality, because it is not going to change; even with the relentless attacks of his person.

 For now Senator Ewherido is not bothered about the antics of Igbi and his likes. If the attendance and the reception of the account of his stewardship at the UPU Centre, Uvwiamughe, Agbarho, are anything to go by, then the Urhobo nation is firmly behind him in his quest to give his constituents effective and vibrant representation. Unfortunately for Igbi and his fellow disgruntled DPP members, the Urhobo Nation train has moved on while they cling to their archaic, parochial,   fruitless, ruinous and unproductive politics. Urhobo and Delta will be great.

Mr Justice Iyasere is the Media Aide to Senator Pius Ewherido, National Assembly, Abuja.

Senator Akpor Pius-Ewherido, Quintessential Man at 50

According to John Calvin Maxwell, an evangelical Christian author, speaker, and pastor, born in 1947 and has over 60 books in his kitty written by him, principally focusing on leadership, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”.

For Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897 – April 8, 1993), one of the most celebrated African-American singers in the twentieth century, “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it”.

Napoleon Bonaparte (August 15, 1769 – May 5, 1821), a French military and political leader, who rose to prominence during the later stages of the French Revolution and its related wars in Europe, noted that “A leader is a dealer in hope”.

In the words of Theodore Roosevelt (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), the great author, hunter, naturalist and explorer, who was the 26th American President between 1901 and 1909, “the most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice”.

The 18th century English Ballad, George Bernard Shaw wrote; ‘Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I get to hold for a moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before turning it over to future generations’.

A lot of creative ink has been spent in evaluating and sometimes comparing the existence of human beings on planet earth with the chemical bye-product called candle. Celebrated song writers and singers have held the world spell bound with timeless songs depicting the sojourn of man on earth as a candle in the wind. Thus, the most illustrious of such breath taking songs was the rendition by Sir Elton John, the English pop icon in honour of the deceased Lady Diana, Princess of Wales.

Thus, a human life that trudges on and counts 50 years by all stretch of logic and perhaps reason is deserving of clinking the glass. Where however, the life of such a human being in a manner of speaking bestrides his time like a colossus, a celebration of such life is therefore non-negotiable. That is the case of a quintessential gentleman, humanist, distinguished senator, respected scholar, eminent jurist, administrator par excellence, patriot, husband and father, Akpor Pius Ewherido a Knight of Saint Mulumba, who turns 50 years on May 4, 2013.

A quintessential man, icon of pivotal strength and courage are traits that stand him out. As the sages say, life is not about how long but about how well. For this enviable of our time, it has been 50 years of grace and glory.

Attaining the golden age of 50 is no mincemeat, as many people look forward to it. But, like a colossus, Senator Pius has not only clocked the age, he has recorded quite a milestone along the way.

Even before attaining this golden age, he has, through perseverance and unflinching courage, transplanted himself to heights many fear to attain. He is not just a role model, but a performer with a glowing track record to show. To his immediate family, he is a lovely husband and cherished father. While to others, he is simply a distinguished Senator, reliable colleague, trusted friend, an engine house, a priceless jewel and a gem of inestimable value. Senator Ewherido is an orator and an irresistible speaker with an ability to hold an audience spell bound. Describe him as a sturdy bamboo in the dense forest of Nigeria’s intellectual universe, and you would be apt. His razor sharp intellect and charisma exuded at any given opportunity stands him out.

A lawmaker of repute; daring; highly positive about the future of Nigeria; principled to the core, are qualities that adhere him to the hearts of all. In the midst of these glowing attributes, his demeanour bellies all.

He is a man with great depth and the fear of God.

Despite the rigours of his job, Senator Ewherido is always loving, humble and sensitive to the plights of people. By natural inclination, he has time for everybody he comes across, notwithstanding status. Always going beyond the call of duty to help, no matter what the odds are. To this man, politics should be all about service, humanity and making a difference in the life of the electorate.

Going beyond the call of political duty due to his compassionate nature, made Senator Pius to initiate the Ewherdio Foundation (Support for my Constituents). Many have benefited immensely from this course. Senator Ewherido, by a wide consensus, has been a role model to many. He is a hallmark of integrity in service. A man of strength and character, he's has been a 50 years of a distinguished life.

Like him or hate him, at 50, he has through dint of courage and hard work etched his name in the country’s history of indomitable men. In essence, Senator Ewherido is a trail blazer.

Gogorogo Hits Gold (Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido @ 50)

For Senator Akporokena Pius Ewherido the character traits that will shape his sojourn on earth manifested at a very early age. While still crawling, he always probed the unknown including finding out how delicious meals are made, an adventure that almost cost him his life. At age four he was ready to confront the soldiers who invaded and overran Ughelli town where his family was domiciled in the then Midwest Region during the Nigerian Civil War. “Let us go home”, he told his elder brother.  “After all, they are men like us.”  As a teenager, Ewherido also felt that he could kill a lion with his bare fist at the height of his obsession with taekwondo until he knew better with age. He also did not chicken out of a fight, even with a much older and stronger opponent, if he felt oppressed or unjustly treated. As a child, Senator Ewherido was also noted for incessantly questioning the status quo, an attribute that always put him on collision path with older people.  He was also very single-minded in the pursuit of causes and issues he believed in. Add these innate qualities to love, selflessness and high moral uprightness, which his parents imparted in him and his siblings and what you get is the quintessential Pius Ewherido, the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District and the only senator elected on the platform of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) in Nigeria.

Born on May 4, 1963, into the family of Joseph Ewherido, a retired school principal and administrator and his wife, Paulina, Senator Ewherido is the third in a family of eight children, all males. His parents, who were and still are staunch Catholics, brought him up in the strict Christian teachings and Catholic tradition. He started his primary school at St. Paul’s, Ughelli and finished in RCM Primary School, Ozoro, all in Delta State. For his secondary education, he attended Notre Dame College, Ozoro  also in Delta State. Thereafter, he proceeded to the University of Ife (Now Obafemi  Awolowo University) where he studied philosophy and emerged the best graduating student in his class. After his youth service in Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, he went into business and was a successful businessman in Warri, Delta State.  After a while he enrolled in University of Benin to study law. He was subsequently called to the bar after law school.

Senator Ewherido cut his teeth in politics when he joined the United Nigeria Congress Party in 1997 during the Sani Abacha era. After the botched transition programme, he continued running his businesses. In 1998, he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).  He contested and won the Ughelli South Constituency election to the Delta State House of Assembly in 1999. His colleagues, who noticed his leadership qualities in those early days, elected him deputy speaker which was the highest position zoned to Delta Central in the house. For over a year, he also acted as speaker of the house. His distinguished, vibrant, sterling and robust leadership are still reference points, almost six years after he left the house. He brought recognition, acceptance, dignity and prestige to the office of the deputy speaker and was perhaps the most visible state assembly deputy speaker in his time.

Senator Ewherido was not just a leader in the house; he was a lawmaker par excellent.  In his eight years in the house he moved over 40 motions that were adopted and sponsored and co- sponsored eight bills among which are:

1)    Law Prohibiting Harmful, Cruel and Discriminatory Practices Against Females and Widows

2)    Prohibition of Female Circumcision and Genital Mutilation

3)    A Law to Make Policy Provisions for Employment of Indigenes in Delta State and for Other Matters Connected Therewith.

4)    A law to Make Provisions for the Establishment of Delta State Blood Transfusion Databank and Other Incidental matters, 2006

5)    A law to Make Provisions for the Amendment of Legal officers (Harmonisation of salaries with magistrates) Law in 1996 and for other matters connected therewith

6)    Employment of Legislative Aides, Employment Protection for Deltans in Junior Staff category in Establishments in Delta State, 1999.

7)    A Law to Provide for the Grant of Bursary and Award of Scholarship to Students of Delta State Origin in Educational Institutions and Matters Connected thereto

In his time in the house, over 10 roads were constructed in his Ughelli South Constituency, over 20 towns and villages were provided with electricity, over 15 towns and villages were provided potable drinking water, a lot of primary and secondary schools were given face lift in the local government, among many other projects. It was mainly in appreciation of his performance that he was overwhelmingly voted back to the house in 2003. Other accolades also came in appreciation of his performance and contributions. His paternal people honoured him with the chieftaincy title of Otemunoruemu of Ewhu Kingdom, while his maternal kiths and kins bestowed on him the title of Adjerese  of Effurun-Otor Kingdom. His maternal people in Enwhe, Isoko South also conferred on him the title of Aruore of Enwhe.  Recently the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, HRM Ovie R.L. Ogbon Ogoni Oghoro 1 on his 96^th birthday and 25^th coronation anniversary honoured him with title of Eje Urhobo Yovwi of Olomu Kingdom.

Ewherido contested the PDP governorship primaries in 2006. Dissatisfied with the conduct of the primaries, he withdrew from active politics in 2007 after his tenure in the house ended.   In 2010 he switched camp to the Democratic People’s Party. He contested and won the DPP Delta Central Senatorial primaries before going to win the main election in 2011. Since 2011, even as a lone DPP senator, Ewherido has been giving the people of Delta Central vibrant and effective representation, drawing from his experience as a state legislator. In less than two years in the senate, he has sponsored four bills. They are:

1)      A Bill for an Act to make provisions creating the offence of Corporate Manslaughter and matters incidental thereto.

2)       A Bill for an Act to Establish the Welding Standards Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

3)      A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of The Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to provide for Devolution of more responsibilities to States And Public Sector Accountability (by the creation of the office of Auditor General of the Federation as distinct from The Office of The Auditor General of  The Federal government of Nigeria).

4)      A Bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to streamline the jurisdiction of the appellate courts for quick dispensation of justice and for matters incidental thereto.

Majority of the bills Ewherido has sponsored since his days in the state assembly are people- oriented which lends credence to his humanist disposition. Ewherido is a man of the people, a thoroughbred grass root politician. He has also co-sponsored 12 motions so far in the senate. He has attracted developmental projects, scholarships, job opportunities, training locally and abroad among others to his constituents and constituency.

Fondly called Gogorogo by friends and admirers, Ewherido is a man of enormous intelligence, great vision and penetrative thinking.  He has by utterances and deeds proven his selflessness over the years as a leader. A lover of sports, he was into taekwondo, table tennis and lawn tennis in his younger days and he is still an ardent long tennis player and football follower. He is a Real Madrid fan of 23 years.

 Like his father, Senator Ewherido is a devout Catholic, a family man to the core and a lover of children. A  Knight of St. Mulumba, he is married to Doye Ewherido (nee Bozimo) and they are blessed with six children.

Fifty hearty cheers to Senator Ewherido on this golden day. Gogorogo, oyovwi ke we (it is well with you).