"I am convinced that President Buhari means well for Niger Delta. I have therefore decided to join forces with him to mobilise as many people as possible to ensure he succeeds," Uduaghan stated.
Emmanuel Uduaghan, the immediate past Governor of Delta State and an aspirant for the Delta South Senatorial district seat in the National Assembly who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), has premised his decision to defect on the conviction that the present administration means well for the people.
Uduaghan, who spoke on Tuesday when he paid a consultation visit to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli II, at his palace, to seek royal blessings ahead of the 2019 elections, commended President Buhari on efforts to ensure peace and security in the Niger Delta region.
The APC senatorial hopeful, however, noted that anything that would make the state play politics of opposition would be counter-productive.
He added that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo's visit to states in the Niger Delta brought about relative peace, which he said would bring about more development.
He said: "We need to be in the mainstream politics to accelerate development of Delta State. I'm going to the Senate to represent the three ethnic nationalities equally. For the sake of justice and fairness, we agreed that the Senate position should be rotated among Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri, and it is the turn of the Itsekiris.
"I've looked at the terrain carefully and I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that we need to be at the same party with the centre to ensure speedy development of our district and state. I am convinced that President Buhari means well for Niger Delta. I have therefore decided to join forces with him to mobilise as many people as possible to ensure he succeeds."
Responding, the Olu of Warri expressed happiness about Uduaghan's return to mainstream politics.
The monarch promised to support any forward-looking candidate, who is prepared to shun personal and ethnic interest for the overall interest of the senatorial district, Delta State and Niger Delta in general.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the visit, the immediate past state coordinator of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, and a front-line APC House of Representatives aspirant for Isoko Federal Constituency, Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, promised to team up with Uduaghan for progress of the region.
"The time has finally come to speed up the development and progress of our people in Isoko, Delta South Senatorial District and Delta State. I am already mobilising the entire Isoko nation for APC to ensure the victory of the party in the forthcoming 2019 elections,” he said.