All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, who kicks off his campaign soon has chosen the Executive Director (News & Current Affairs) of Africa Independent Television (AIT), DAAR Communications PLC, the continent’s pioneer private TV station, Mr. Felix Emamode Akugha, as his running mate.

Akugha’s choice was confirmed by the APC and Emerhor in a statement by Director of Media and Political Communication, OTEGA4GOVERNOR Campaign Organisation, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe.

Oghenesivbe quoted Olorogun Emerhor as saying that the choice of the ace broadcaster was reached after a thorough appraisal of his pedigree and many years of active involvement in local, national and international political discuss. He noted that Akugha, apart from being a successful career journalist, is deeply involved in grassroots political mass mobilization in Isoko South Local Government Area.

Akugha, also a quintessential administrator with experience spanning three decades, joined DAAR Communications PLC, Nigeria’s largest private broadcast network in February 1997, and created, produced and anchored one of AIT’s flagship programmes known as Kaakaki. 

On its part, the state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will kick off its campaigns for the 2015 general elections at Oghara Township Stadium, Ethiope West Local Council today.

It will also at the ceremony present flags to its standard bearers in the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, representing Delta Central senatorial district, has canvassed mass support for the PDP governorship standard bearer, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, but urged him to “go and reconcile, negotiate, confirm and conclude with Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) what the Urhobo stake will be in his government” to boost his chances.

UPU had insisted that it would not back a non-Urhobo in the 2015 governorship race.

   And to ensure victory for Okowa, a group known as OKOEJEBILITY has inaugurated a committee made up of 16 executive members in each of the eight local councils that make up Delta Central. Hon. Michael Diden, a grand patron of the group, performed the ceremony at the weekend in Sapele.

  Diden, who is popularly known as Ejele, is a former chairman of Warri North LGA and former Senior Special Adviser on Security to Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

   He charged the members and executives of the various committees to work hard saying: “A victory for Okowa means job creation, industrialization, improve educational standard and improvement in the health sector for all Deltans.” 

  The former DESOPADEC Commissioner representing the Itsekiri ethnic nationality and House of Assembly candidate for PDP in Warri North for the February 28, 2015 election explained that OKOEJEBILITY was coined from Okowa and Ejele.

  Okowa, also a senator representing Delta North district, is equally facing stiff opposition from the Isoko people after he picked Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, an Ijaw, as running mate. They had thought Okowa would pick an Isoko to quench their age-long complaints of being politically marginalised in the state.

Aguariavwodo who spoke at the weekend at a meeting with constituents of the district at his Olomu country home also enjoined them to vote massively for President Goodluck Jonathan next month.

 The senator restated his commitment to self-efficiency of the people through food production and the establishment of small-scale industries by distributing 20 tractors and accessories, 21,000 hybrid oil palm seedlings and others.

Prior to joining DAAR, Akugha had very productive years with several print and electronic media organizations including Nigeria Observer (1985) where he cut his journalistic teeth. He moved on to Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) in 1992.  Upon the advent of private broadcasting in Nigeria in 1994, he moved to DBN.

  Married with children, he is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, USA; Queens School of Business, Canada; McDough School of Business, Georgetown University, USA; the Manchester University Business School, UK; Cranfield School of Management, UK; University of Port Harcourt Business School, Nigeria among others. 

  Akugha has several degrees and diplomas from both national and international higher institutions.  A graduate of University of Port Harcourt, he has a Master of Science degree in Political and Administrative Studies (International Relations).  He also has a Bachelor’s in Foreign Language (with a major in French), and a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.  He is a Fellow of Institute of Corporate Administration as well as a member of several professional bodies including Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

  He has gone round the world covering assignments in the Vatican, World Cup matches, United Nations General Assemblies, Africa Union General Assemblies and General Elections in the United States, South Africa, and Nigeria among others.  He was also in the thick of action during the Sierra Leone and Liberia civil wars.