DELTA APC HOPES DASHED AS UDUAGHAN, OGBA ENDORSE ATIKU/OKOWA, OBOREVWORI/ONYEME TICKETS

November 13, 2022

By Comr Lucky Futughe

The Delta State APC has suffered another setbacks as the hopes of benefiting from the internal wrangling within the state PDP induced by the outcome of the primaries collapsed. This reality was made known during the PDP Delta South leaders meeting which was hosted by the immediate past Governor of Delta State, HE (Dr) Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan. The deafening silence of the former Governor has been broken and the fake news media silenced.

The meeting which was called at the instance of the former Governor penultimate to the Ward to Ward campaigns in the Senatorial District, was to look at the issues dispassionately and appeal to party faithfuls to move on because power comes from God. Dr Uduaghan spoke passionately, recounting his experience as a former Governor of Delta State. He posited that transition from one administration to another is usually turbulent due to vested interest and quest for power.

The former Governor stated that the forthcoming elections are unique not because of the BIVAS alone but because of the fact that the outgoing Governor of the State, HE Sen (Dr) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa is on the presidential ticket with HE Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Therefore, he urged all party faithfuls to put the past behind them and mobilize the entire Delta South Senatorial District for the PDP at all levels. According to Uduaghan, “the Senatorial District has always been a flagship one as a result of the overwhelming votes that are produced in the area. I am confident we can replicate same results especially when we behave like water”, he said’.

The two term Governor said, it is not unusual to have different camps prior to primaries but ones it is over, it is our collective responsibilities to queue behind the candidates of the party across board. He noted that, it is better for one of us to occupy the position rather than an entire stranger who has his people that are already working with them. It is only when known party man occupies the position, we can request for other opportunities associated with the office. Hence, members cannot afford to do otherwise at this critical times when the country is facing a lot of challenges on several fronts.

Furthermore, he stated that the People’s Democratic Party built most of them because if it was their family background, there were no chances of them becoming prominent Nigerians today. He pointed out that, all the leaders from Delta South Senatorial District are members of HE Chief James Onanefe Ibori’s political family. As a result, the family has to activate all its political architecture to deliver the party. Accordingly and as part of his commitment to the Atiku/Okowa and Oborevwori/Onyeme tickets in addition to other supports, the former Governor donated his conference Hall for any PDP Delta South Senatorial District meeting.

Finally, he charged the Senatorial chairman Hon(Chief) Julius Takeme to regularly convene such meetings to frequently assess the strategic achievements of the campaigns thus far and if possibly make necessary changes. Others who spoke in support of the former Governor includes Hon Michael Diden Ejele, Hon Funkekeme Solomon, Chief Solomon Ogba and Hon Val Areyenka. The meeting witnessed the attendance of ranking members of the party such as Chief Dr Oritsejafor, Wing Commander PY Biakpara (Rtd), Brig Gen Broderick Beneyeibo(Rtd) Hon Nicholas Mutu, Hon Thomas Ereyitomi, all House of Assembly members from Delta South, Commissioners, LGA chairmen, Chief Mike Loyibo, party chairmen and political appointees were all present.

Recall that during the week, Sen Ighoyota Amori emphatically stated that HE Chief James Onanefe Ibori is fully in support of the candidature of Rt Hon Sherriff Oborevwori. The endorsement of People’s Democratic Party candidates across board by HE Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan is a reconfirmation of the earlier statement issued by Chief Amori. This moves by the former Governors of the state is an indication that, the PDP is indeed one united family working for the strategic interest of the party.

Consequently, the endorsement of the People’s Democratic Party candidates by former Governor Uduaghan has sent a reverberating tsunami to the camps of the dilapidated APC and a catalytic boosters for the already charged PDP supporters. Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa Kingsley Esiso Ifeanyi Michael Osuoza