From Paul Osuyi, Asaba

Tragedy has struck the Delta State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All  Progressives Congress (APC).

  While the PDP lost one of its chieftains from Ughelli South council, Joel Uname, in a road crash, yesterday, the APC lost five members in a boat accident.

     Uname was said to have died alongside his driver when his Sports Utility Vehicle had a head on collision with a truck on Patani-Umeh road. He was on his way to Patani for the flag off of the party’s local government area campaigns ahead of the 2023 general election.

Uname was said to be a staunch supporter of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwori, the PDP vice presidential candidate and the state governorship candidate, respectively.

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Commander in Asaba, Bassey Esiet, said he was yet to receive the report of the accident.

The boat mishap which claimed the lives of APC members occurred Tuesday night along the Gbaramatu-Warri river. The victims were  returning from the governorship rally held earlier in the day in Okerenkoko and Ugborodo towns in Warri South West Local Government Area.

It was learnt that a commercial boat travelling in the opposite direction rammed into the boat carrying the APC faithful resulting in it capsizing with five dead, some injured and receiving treatment in hospital, while others  missing.

Delta APC governorship candidate, Ovie Omo-Agege has lamanted the tragedy, offering prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims.

Director of the Delta APC Governorship Campaign Council, Ima Niboro in a statement, yesterday, said:  “We are shocked by this tragedy, and our hearts are heavy. Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families. This is one tragedy too many, and our party is officially in mourning.

“We are currently working with the relevant authorities and communities to search for the missing. We are also in the process of reaching out to the families and loved ones of those that lost their lives while ensuring that the injured receive the best care possible.

“In honour of the dead, missing, and injured, we have decided to indefinitely suspend all further campaigns. The Campaign Council will advise on the next steps in the coming days and weeks.”

Meanwhile, addressing a campaign rallies at Patani and Ozoro, Governor Okowa said poverty, hunger and insecurity had characterised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

He said those retrogressive elements, including unemployment, had remained the lot of Nigerians since the inception of APC government in 2015.

Okowa said the Atiku-Okowa ticket of the PDP would repair all the damages in its ‘Recover Nigeria’ mission.  He urged Nigerians to reject the APC and return the PDP to power in the 2023 general election to enable it rebuild the country.

“As a party, we have done well for our state and country but it’s unfortunate that the APC came in 2015 and destroyed all the achievements we recorded.

“And, because they are ashamed of their performance in the last seven and half years, they have resorted to lies and propaganda. They have nothing more to offer than inflicting poverty, hunger, insecurity and a collapsed economy to Nigerians,” he said.

The vice presidential candidate urged the people to be hopeful and return PDP to the presidency, saying” “Vote all our party candidates because PDP will win the elections.

“I have been going round the country and I can assure you PDP will win the 2023 presidential election.”