From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The smouldering crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is threatening its chances of retaining the state in next year’s election.
There has been a brewing crisis before and immediately after the governorship primary which produced the current Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori as candidate.
However, the crisis seemed exacerbated with the recent nomination of the chairman of the state board of internal revenue, Monday Onyeme as running mate to Oborevwori.
Sources within the party informed that most leaders and critical stakeholders are not happy with the development on the grounds that they were not consulted particularly on the emergence of Onyeme as deputy governorship candidate.
The aggrieved leaders are said to be blaming Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is also the vice presidential candidate of the PDP, for allegedly hijacking the process.
An aggrieved stakeholder lamented that Okowa in his bid to dislodge former governor James Ibori as the godfather of Delta politics, did everything within his power as the sitting governor to ensure the emergence of Oborevwori as the 2023 governorship candidate, against David Edevbie who was Ibori’s preferred choice.
“As if that was not enough, Okowa and the Kingsley Esiso-led state executive committee of the party did not deem it fit to consult with us before the nomination of Onyeme as running mate,” the aggrieved stakeholder stated.
Indications emerged that all was not well with the PDP in Delta State when most leaders shunned the grand reception the party organised for Okowa after he was picked by the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar as his running mate.
The leaders include James Ibori, immediate past governo,r Emmanuel Uduaghan, Okowa’s long time standing friend and reliable political ally, Senator James Manager, among others.
Besides, most of the leaders are yet to publicly congratulate the governor on his emergence as Atiku’s running mate.
The development is threatening the party’s cohesion ahead of next year’s polls with the main opposition party in the state, All Progressive Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege looking to reap from the frosty relationship.
Already, former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe who hails from Burutu Local Government Area of Delta resigned from the party on grounds that the PDP should have zoned the ticket for the presidency to southern Nigeria.
His resignation came few days after the unveiling of Okowa as running mate to Atiku, a northerner. All internal efforts to stop Orubebe from leaving the party failed. He has since pitched tenth with the APC.
Like Orubebe, another former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi who was governorship aspirant on the party’s platform, has also left. He withdrew from the race before the primaries, blaming Okowa for allegedly hijacking the process.
Gbagi is now the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Like the two former ministers, it was learnt that a lot of others are nursing grievances arising from the governorship.
While some of them are still contemplating leaving the party, others have vowed to remain indifferent before and during the general elections unless steps were taken to assuage their feelings of alienation.
They are blaming the governor for lack of trust, alleged high handedness and imposition of Onyeme as Oborevwori’s running mate.
Moreover, they blamed the governor for allegedly ignoring the advice of the national leadership of PDP for him to personally reach out to Ibori, Uduaghan, Manager and Edevbie after the governorship primary before announcing the running mate.
A chieftain of the party who spoke on the condition of anonymity said aggrieved leaders of Delta PDP were seeing Okowa as “an enemy of the party who has prepared the ground for the party to lose in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
“How can Okowa singlehandedly produce the party’s governorship candidate and his deputy? So many of our members, especially aspirants left our party after the primaries. Is the party a personal estate?
“The way and manner the state governor is going about the whole thing call for great concern to all right-thinking members of our party.
“Party chieftains and stakeholders across the three senatorial districts of the state are not happy with Okowa; none is on good terms with him and these are people of note who can make or mar him during elections.
“So, Okowa thinks he can do it alone? Let’s see how PDP will win the election alone and how Okowa will impose his candidates on the people come 2023.
“Let’s see how he becomes the country’s vice president. We are waiting and watching at the same time.”
Another aggrieved member wondered what Okowa can achieve without the party leaders, elders and stakeholders.
“Okowa was told by the national leadership of our party in Abuja to come and reconcile with these aggrieved party chieftains and stakeholders, he deliberately ignored the advice and singlehandedly nominated a running mate to the governorship candidate.
“Well, Okowa should be ready for the shocker of his life because all plans have been perfected on the next line of action,” another source said.
But in what seems to be a last ditch effort to save the party from possible implosion, reconciliation committees have been constituted for the three senatorial districts by the leadership of the party in the state.
Publicity secretary of the PDP in Delta, Ifeanyi Osuoza announced the constitution of the committees in a statement issued in Asaba.
Osuoza said the committees were part of the machinery in motion to reconcile, harmonize and engender unity of purpose in the party, ahead of campaigns for the 2023 general elections.
According to him, the inauguration of the committees followed “the peaceful conduct and successful completion of our party primaries and the overall endorsement of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
Composition of the committees showed that Chief P.Y. Biakpara would head Delta south with Daniel Mayuku as secretary, while Iduh Amadhe, Joseph Otunara and Trophy Kirifagha are members.
In Delta north, Edwin Uzor is chairman with afrank Nwaugo as secretary while Godswill Obielum, Nkem Okwuofu and Evelyn Orogun are members.
Emmanuel Agwuariavwodo is to chair the committee for Delta central with Benson Okorodudu as secretary while Mrs. Tessy Torru, James Augoye and Solomon Golley are members.
The committees which have four weeks to work, were given terms of reference which include looking at the circumstances that led to the grievances and recommend ways to ensure enduring co-existence within the party.
“Delta PDP wishes to reiterate that our primaries was a family affair, conducted with the best intentions for the party and in which everybody is a winner.
“The party is now stronger and more united than ever before and we appeal to our teeming, loyal and committed members to identify with the Peace and Reconciliation Committee in each zone, as we embrace the healing and harmonization process which binds us together as a formidable, united force.
“Delta PDP is one big family and like we predicted before the primaries, our loyal and committed members have once again proven this beyond doubt and the exercise we conducted has ended in praise for one and all, both at state and national levels,” Osuoza stated.
Meanwhile, in an earlier statement in which Onyeme was announced as running mate, Osuoza said the chartered accountant is “a loyal, dedicated and true party man, totally committed, well respected, and truly beloved in the PDP family.”
He said the party has no doubt that the pair of Oborevwori and Onyeme “is already a confirmed winning combination for the 2023 governorship election.
“We are now fully ready for the electoral battle in 2023 and by the Grace of God, it will end in praise, as always.”