A political earthquake has hit Delta State as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) mainstream wing, Delta Unity Group (DUG) on Sunday declared for the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a commitment to vote all candidates of the party in the 2023 general elections.
According to a statement by the Director of Communications and Media Strategy of the state APC campaign council, Olorogun Ima Niboro, the DUG is renowned as the strategic and “intellectual” arm of the Delta PDP. The group previously coalesced around Olorogun David Edevbie, who was former Governor James Ibori’s choice for the state governor. But incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s preferred the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who is now flying the party’s ticket.
At a Special Declaration Rally on Sunday at St George’s College, Obinomba, thousands of DUG members donning their signature red shirts and hats, formally declared for the APC. The group was led by its chairman, Rt. Hon Daniel Reyenieju, who is a three-time member of the House of Representatives; former state speakers, Chief Monday Igbuya and Rt. Hon. Olisa Imegwu; among others,
Reyenieju said that the DUG was founded and created to support the best candidate of the PDP, but when the best could not be presented, “we went round the state for a man who could do the modernisation programme of David Edevbie and found that capacity in the person of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. Realising that if we find outside would be meaningless hence, we decided to join the APC.
“We will show PDP pepper. We can’t continue like this, we can’t have a president that will sell all our assets, we can’t have a vice president that will continue to borrow money with nothing to show. All the money they borrowed and kept away will turn to fertilizers in their farms”.
Igbuya recalled that when Okowa came on board with him (Igbuya) as Speaker, “he complained that the debt burden incurred by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan was so heavy. He cut all our entitlements that there was no money. Now the debt he has incurred in eight years will be difficult to pay back in a life time”.
A prominent DUG leader, Chief Evans Iwurie, who is a former member of the state assembly, said that Okowa, by his incompetence, has become an embarrassment to the state, Nigeria and the medical profession, assuring that with Omo-Agege as governor, the state would regain its pride again.
An obviously elated Omo-Agege, the APC governorship candidate, said he was in awe, but not surprised by the development.
“But frankly speaking, who would have believed, two years ago, that the people who made things happen in the PDP would ‘tear the umbrella’ and join the APC?
“We have always made the case that Delta State under Governor Okowa is not the state we inherited from our parents. Look around, no roads. Schools and health facilities are in very poor condition. Retirees are dying, their gratuities and pensions unpaid. Yet Governor Okowa wants to secure a third term through his stooge, Oborevwori.
“Good news is that come 25 February and 11 March, we have all it takes to chase him and PDP away. With the APC force and reinforcement from DUG, which is two thirds of Delta PDP, we can effortlessly defeat Governor Okowa and his remnants in the PDP. This is now a liberation movement. Come out and chase Okowa, Atiku and PDP away”.
Omo-Agege, who is also the Deputy President of the Senate, assured the DUG decampees that he would ensure just and equitable governance when elected governor. “We will be fair to all, no senatorial district will be discriminated against, what Okowa refused to do we will do. We will apply our resources judiciously and equitably. Poor healthcare will be addressed, and the facilities and quality of education in our schools will be improved.
“The common struggle now is to chase Governor Okowa and PDP away. I formally welcome all our leaders. We have no joiners and no founders, people will be rewarded for what they do”.
State chairman of the APC, Elder Omeni Sobotie said that when Ibori was governor, nobody left the PDP, but under Okowa, greed and pride destroyed the party.
Said he: “To my decampees, APC is your home, you shall not regret it. You are going be integrated into all the facets of the party from unit to national level. We will expand our campaign council to reflect our new reality. Some will serve at the state and others at the national level”.
Director-General of the state APC Campaign Council, Elder Godsday Orubebe celebrated the leadership of the DUG for joining in the effort to salvage the state at a most critical moment. He noted that governance collapsed in the state once Ibori left as governor, and that the state is yet to recover.
On his part, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor said that his dream for APC to take over the state is coming to pass. “We had some problems, we were fighting against each other, but God took that problem and gave it to PDP. God has divided PDP to three parts and brought two thirds of it to join the APC”.
Among leadership of the DUG that decamped were: Reyenieyu; former House of Representatives member, Hon. Mercy Almona-Isei; Igbuya; Imegwu; and former Commissioner and Board of Trustees member of PDP, Chief Judith Enamuotor.
Others included former state assembly member, Hon Alaowe Timi Tonye; former Commissioner Urban Renewal, Dr Karo Ilolo; former Ethiope East Council Chairman, Chief Faith Majemite; Chiefs Stanley Odali and Pius Ovbije; Hon Evans Iwurie; Felix Ndukwe; Comrade Mike Akpobire; Chief Florence Akpoibo; Ejifeoma Esere; Comrade Ingo Isaiah Tam; and Dr Sebastian Agbefe.
