Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State on Friday morning revealed why he sacrificed his ambition to go to the Senate in June, 2015.
Speaking on a live programme on Channels Television, Uduaghan said the peace of the South-South state was greater than his personal ambition.
Uduaghan, a medical doctor, succeeded former Governor James Ibori on May 29, 2007. He will hand over on May 29, 2015.
A few days to the primaries, he suddenly announced that he was no longer interested in the senatorial race, paving the way for Senator James Manager to re-contest and return to the upper chamber on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, if re-elected.
Uduaghan said that “I wanted to go to the Senate but it might lead to electoral violence. Knowing what I know about Delta State, I took the decision to sacrifice my personal ambition.
“Whatever will destroy the peace of my state, I won’t be party to it. Some people will not think like that. They will always think of their interest first before that of their state or country.
“We should not be thinking like that. As a governor, I want to leave Delta State better than I met it.”
On defection by some PDP members to other parties, Uduaghan said such action will not affect the chances of the party to win the presidential election and governorship seats.
Uduaghan also defended President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the PDP presidential candidate was trying his best to deal with issues associated with corruption and insecurity.
He said that “What the President did in Lagos (during Thursday’s flag-off of PDP presidential campaign rally at the Tafawa Balewa Square) was to clear the air on corruption, insecurity, etc.
“We should not just pick the speech of yesterday and think that is the beginning and end of the campaign. Because the President has not used the jungle justice style, some people are criticising him.
“The list of those who have been successfully prosecuted will be released. I can tell you that the President is fighting corruption. This administration has its own way of fighting corruption.
“We should not do it the jungle justice way: working from the answer to the question, holding press conferences on a person who has not been proven guilty. Investigation can go on for 10 years.”
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