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  • PDP crisis: I‘m ready for reconciliation, says Sheriff

    PDP crisis: I‘m ready for reconciliation, says Sheriff

    THE factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has voiced his willingness to reopen reconciliation talks with the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee of the party.

    Speaking at a political gathering in Abuja yesterday, Sheriff said he had no intention to sit tight as the party’s chairman, adding that given the right circumstances, he would not remain in office a day longer than necessary.

    To buttress his point, Sheriff said he had, a few months ago, impressed it on Makarfi for the two of them to relinquish their claims to the leadership of the party and pave the way for the election of a new set of leaders.

    Said he: “I told Makarfi that the two of us should resign. I even asked him to let us set up a committee that would organise a proper convention for the party. But he insisted that he wanted to stay in office till 2018.

    “Since then, Makarfi has been blackmailing me all over the place; that Sheriff wants to be President, Sheriff is working for the APC to build a one-party system, Sheriff is Boko Haram. But I will continue to insist that the PDP must be given back to the people”.

    The former Borno State governor said he had in all sincerity tried to resolve the leadership crisis in the party. But that the Makarfi led Caretaker Committee had thwarted all his efforts.

    He added that with the disposition of the caretaker committee and the situation of things in the party, the only choice open to him is to allow the courts to determine his fate.

    Sheriff however said he has been reaching out to individuals and groups that defected from the PDP to other parties, with the view to bringing them back to the fold.

    “We are discussing with key stakeholders, who are willing to return to the party and we are making steady progress. The stakeholders understand that their return to the party will also take into consideration party members who are on ground.

    “We must avoid the Ondo scenario where Governor Olusegun Mimiko returned and everybody left the PDP for him,” he added.

    On the just concluded legislative rerun election in Rivers State, Sheriff said he had already set up an 11-man committee to review the conduct of the election and the claims and counter claims by the various interested parties.

    “I am waiting for the report of the committee before I can comment on the election. It is better for me to speak based on facts. I will comment after receiving the report. I don’t want to behave like Makarfi,” he said.

  • ‘Sheriff, Makarfi, should step down in PDP’s interest’

    ‘Sheriff, Makarfi, should step down in PDP’s interest’

    An elder-statesman and a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Mohammed Rabiu Bako has called on the Ali Modu Sherrif and the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committees to sheath their sword and step aside in the interest of the party.

    The former Commissioner under the Makarfi administration in Kaduna State spoke with reporters in Kaduna on the state of affairs of the party and efforts being made to settle the crisis.

    He said the call has become necessary in view of the need for them to make sacrifices as the party is greater than any individual or groups, hence the call for speedy resolution of the impasse so that the party would reposition itself for future challenges ahead.

    “It is apparent that the two leaders are playing to the gallery with each trying to outsmart the other. This attitude is certainly and totally detrimental to the progress of our party particularly now that we are in the opposition. It is not in the interest of our party for our leaders to throw tantrums at each other at the slightest opportunity thereby personalizing the leadership of the party. as it is now, one would have expected that the Board of Trustee, our respected elders and governors would have taken full charge of the situation by demanding for the resignation of the leadership of the two warring camps so that normalcy will be restored in the affairs of our great party.” He said.

    The elder-statesman emphasised that his call was with all sense of responsibility, having witnessed the dismal outcome of both the Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections being lost to this unwarranted fractionalization.

    “Sadly enough, we are currently witnessing defections of monumental proportions from a party that promises to wrestle power from the APC come 2019” He added”.

  • Makarfi, Sheriff issue jail threats against each other

    Makarfi, Sheriff issue jail threats against each other

    PDP factions step up struggle for control

    Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP) leaders were still tearing at one another yesterday.
    The two factions of the leading opposition party threatened  imprisonment against each other for laying claims to the leadership of the troubled former ruling party.
    The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee said it would send Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff to prison for parading himself as the party’s National Chairman.
    The Sheriff faction replied that it had enough evidence to sue the Makarfi faction’s members for alleged contempt of court.
    The party’s crisis resurged after its loss at last weekend’s Ondo State governorship election.
    Caretaker Committee spokesman Dayo Adeyeye yesterday described Sheriff as a discredited individual who would soon be expelled from the party.
    Adeyeye accused the Sheriff camp of trying to sustain what he called its illegal claim to the party’s leadership, thereby misleading unsuspecting members and members of the public as well.
    According to him, the caretaker committee has been confirmed to be the authentic leadership of the party by various courts, pending the conduct of a national convention.
    Adeyeye said the committee would have ignored the “empty rantings” of Sheriff and his camp, but that it would not serve the interest of democracy to ignore them.
    The statement said: “First and foremost, we wish to state categorically that in consonance with judgments of various courts, which Ali Modu-Sheriff and his team of confused travellers have not bothered to appeal, the former Borno State Governor is not the chairman of our party, the PDP.
    “His consistent claim to the office is a continuation of their plans to sustain mayhem in our party, but nature and fair justice have taken care of his desperation.
    “We wish to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the judgment delivered by Justice Valentine Ashi of the FCT High Court in Apo, Abuja on June 29, 2016, which states clearly that Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff was never and is not the PDP National Chairman.
    “This judgment was upheld by the ruling of Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya, also of the FCT High Court in Kubwa, Abuja on August 17, 2016.
    “It is instructive to note that Senator Modu-Sheriff and his team of circus performers have not deemed it fit to appeal these court judgments. It is trite in law that a judgment not appealed is binding on the defendant.
    “The courts have spoken, and their pronouncements are binding. However, those who wish to spend the rest of their lives behind prison bars may continue to utter heresy against the court. We hope their children would be proud to bear the family names of convicts.”
    The Makarfi camp accused Sheriff and his group of impunity, lawlessness and greed, adding that “honour cannot be expected from impostors”.
    It called on the Sheriff camp to disband, saying that the rain of vengeance would not hang in the clouds forever.
    But the Sheriff camp said the Makarfi camp should be committed to prison.
    Its Deputy National Chairman Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, in a statement yesterday, said members of the Makarfi camp have been evading arrest.
    The statement said: “It is the caretaker committee that is actually playing with jail term because there is a form 48 and 49 already issued against them from the Federal High Court that is waiting for them. The effort to serve and arrest them was aborted because they evaded the law.
    “Adeyeye is shining the shoes of Governor Ayo Fayose so he could be awarded the Ekiti State gubernatorial ticket. Let him kiss Fayose’s backside till kingdom come, Fayose will not play ball. The party will do what needs to be done about Adeyeye, according to our party’s constitution at the appropriate time.”
    In Akure, the Markafi faction suspended the factional state chairman, Mr. Biyi Poroye, and 21 others.
    Poroye, who is of the Sheriff faction, instituted the suit on whose grounds the court restrained Eyitayo Jegede, following which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) temporarily suspended Jegede’s candidacy and endorsed Jimoh Ibrahim.
    Jegede’s name returned to the ballot two days to the election after the Court of Appeal upturned thhe high court ruling.
    The faction also suspended Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, Ibrahim’s running mate.
    The statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the Makarfi faction, Banji Okunomo, after the party’s  State Working Committee (SWC) meeting, however, did not include Ibrahim on the list of those suspended. The group has always insited that Ibrahim is not a member of the PDP.
    The embattled party members were suspended for alleged anti-party activity in the governorship election.
    Others suspended are: Dennis Alonge, Johnson Alabi, Dr. Olu Ogunye, Senator Meroyi, Mrs. Yemi Ajonibode, Musa Megida, Isaac Alase, Sola Ebiseni, Ademola Genty, Prof. Yemisi Akinyemiju and Dare Emiola.
    Also suspended are: Yemisi Akinmade, Ade Adebawore, Bakkitta Bello, Adegboruwa Taiwo, Omowole Oluwagbehinmi, Gbamila Ogunji, Abiye Ademoyegun, and Dara Akinbo.
    The party said its decision was in line with Section 57 of its constitution and the inherent task conferred on its State Working Committee.
    The statement said: “By the virtue of the Court of Appeal judgment, Biyi Poroye did not only cease to be an executive as he claimed, but they have also turned out to be ordinary members of the party.”
    Okunomo said the suspended members were expected to appear before the disciplinary committee on December 5.

  • It’s end of the road for Sheriff, Ibrahim, says PDP

    It’s end of the road for Sheriff, Ibrahim, says PDP

    It is the end of the road for the disputed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, and his political associate, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, the party’s Caretaker Committee has said.

    According to the party leadership, Sheriff and Ibrahim would be made to face disciplinary action for their role in the protracted legal quagmire that almost robbed the PDP of the opportunity to contest the Ondo State governorship election.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the spokesperson for the Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the intention of Sheriff and Ibrahim was to destroy the party.

    Adeyeye said: “It is the end of the road for Sheriff, Ibrahim and their cohorts. Disciplinary action will be taken against them because they were out to destroy the PDP through their actions.

    “We don’t see how we can regard them as members of the PDP anymore. Even after the Appeal Court had given judgment in favour of the party’s candidate in the Ondo governorship election, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, they still made desperate moves to prevent court officials from serving the court papers on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    “More confounding is that they were still boasting about their actions because they have someone like Justice Okon Abang who has always been there for them”.

    Adeyeye regretted that despite the fact that the INEC was partly responsible for the nomination crisis that rocked the PDP, the electoral body refused to shift the election date to allow the party  candidate enough room for campaign.

    “It seems like there is a cabal dictating to the INEC because some of the actions taken by the electoral umpire concerning our candidate were legally and morally wrong”, Adeyeye added.

    The party scribe said the PDP would still win the election, despite the legal obstacles thrown on its path by Sheriff, Ibrahim and the INEC.

  • PDP leadership: Supreme Court refers Sheriff, Makarfi to Court of Appeal

    PDP leadership: Supreme Court refers Sheriff, Makarfi to Court of Appeal

    The Supreme Court yesterday referred the two factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi – back to the Court of Appeal for the decision on who has the right to lead the party.

    The court also ordered a former factional candidate of the party in Ondo State, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, to file a fresh appeal in furtherance of his objection to the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of Eyitayo Jegede, now the governorship candidate of the PDP.  The election holds tomorrow.

    The Supreme Court, in a unanimous ruling of a five-man panel, led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, struck out an interlocutory appeal by leaders of the Southwest state executive councils installed by the Sheriff factional leadership.

    The court directed the appellants, led by a factional chairman of the PDP in Ondo State, Mr. Biyi Poroye, to return to the Court of Appeal for a final judgment on the substantive appeal, relating to the question about which of the factional leaderships could instruct lawyers to act for the PDP.

    The substantive appeal was filed by the Makarfi factional leadership against the ruling by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, recognising the right of the Sheriff-led faction to make decisions for the party, including briefing lawyers on its behalf.

    When the Court of Appeal ruled that it would hear the Makarfi groups’ appeal with the objection raised against it by the Sheriff faction, it appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which was the interlocutory appeal that was struck out yesterday

    While referring the interlocutory appeals to the lower court for the determination of the substantive appeals, the Supreme Court brushed aside efforts by appellants’ lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede to distinguish his appeals from those relating to the Ondo governorship election.

    The Supreme Court said the appellants or any other party that is not satisfied with the Court of Appeal’s final judgment on the issue could appeal the judgment and include their challenge of the interlocutory decisions.

    The court also gave similar directives on other interlocutory appeals relating to the choice of candidate for the PDP in the  Ondo State election.

    The apex court said, in view of the Court of Appeal’s November 23 judgment, which voided Ibrahim’s candidature – the interlocutory appeals were now mere academic exercise.

    The appeals were against the Court of Appeal’s interlocutory rulings granting leave to Jegede, Makarfi and Obi to appeal the June 29 judgment and October 14, 2016 ruling by Justice Abang.

    The court ordered Ibrahim and others, who were not comfortable with the judgments given by the Court of Appeal on November 23, to appeal the final judgment and include the issues contained in the interlocutory appeals..

    The rulings by the apex court were given after lawyers to the appellants withdrew some of the interlocutory appeals.

    PDP’s Lawyer Pauls Erokoro (SAN), withdrew the appeals marked: SC/953/2016 and SC/954/2016. Although Erokoro later urged the court to stand down hearing in his other two appeals – SC/916/2016 and SC/918/3016 – the court struck the appeals out and ordered him to add the issue to the appeal he intend to file against the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on November 23.

    The lawyer to the Southwest PDP state excos installed by the Sheriff factional leadership, Beluolisa Nwofor (SAN), withdrew six appeals, but the court struck out two others.

    The court refused Nwafor’s attempt to argue the other two appeals, but struck them out.

    In striking out the interlocutory appeals, Justice Onnoghen said: “In view of the ruling of this court on November 22, 2016 (directing the Court of Appeal to deliver its withheld decisions), and the judgment of the lower court delivered on November 23, 2016, these appeals, being interlocutory, have been overtaken by events.

    “The appellants should exercise their rights to appeal in appealing the substantive judgment and the interlocutory decisions, should they feel so. The interlocutory appeals are hereby struck out.”

  • Osun PDP faction expels Sheriff’s National Secretary Oladipo, others

    Osun PDP faction expels Sheriff’s National Secretary Oladipo, others

    A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State yesterday expelled  former national secretary Prof. Wale Oladipo and a factional state chairman, Soji Adagunodo.

    Other PDP members expelled include the former state chairman, Ganiyu Ola-Oluwa, and the secretary of the Soji Adagunodo’s faction, Bola Ajao.

    The faction of the party loyal to Senator Iyiola Omisore, at a congress held in its secretariat on Gbongan Road, made the announcement after a disciplinary committee set up to investigate various anti-party activities of the expelled members submitted its recommendations.

    Addressing a briefing, the factional chairman loyal to Omisore, Dr. Bayo Faforiji, said the the committee had recommended sanctions against those affected to instill discipline in the party.

    According to Faforiji, the committee gave those facing the allegations up to a month to appear before it to defend themselves, the option none of them considered.

    He added that Adagunodo and Ajao were party to a suit instituted against the emergence of Eyitayo Jegede as PDP governorship candidate in Ondo State.

    According to Faforiji, OlaOluwa and Oladipo were indicted for their involvement in the matters relating to the Ondo PDP governorship tussle.

    The congress subsequently pronounced the members expelled and ordered them to return PDP properties in their possession to the party secretariat with immediate effect, adding that the public should refrain from transacting business with them.

    But Adagunodo described his purported expulsion as a joke. In a statement, he said: “My purported removal is a non-issue. My election was supervised by INEC. Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national leadership of our party recognised my leadership.

    “My emergence followed procedure laid down by the constitution of our party. I am a National Executive Committee member of our party and no NEC member can be removed by any organ of our party other than NEC.

    “Faforiji is one of my members in Osun. He doesn’t have the power to remove me. In what capacity did he convey the meeting? He is a joker. If anyone is going to face the party’s hammer, it is going to be Faforiji because he went to Lagos to meet Senator Bola Tinubu.

    “He has been doing everything to destroy PDP in Osun but we have been very accommodating in tolerating his excesses. What he did cannot hold water. “Jegede is PDP candidate in Ondo. I didn’t work against him. The national leadership of PDP with Senator Makarfi in the saddle has been relating with me, so no question on who the authentic chairman is. I remain the authentic chairman of PDP in Osun.”

  • PDP leadership: Supreme Court refers Sheriff, Makarfi to Court of Appeal

    PDP leadership: Supreme Court refers Sheriff, Makarfi to Court of Appeal

    The Supreme Court has referred the two factional leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi – back to the Court of Appeal for the decision on who among them possesses the right to take decisions for the party.
    In a unanimous ruling, a five-man panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, struck out an interlocutory appeal by the Sheriff faction and directed parties to return to the Court of Appeal for a final pronouncement on the substantive issue of which of the factional leaderships of the party could instruct lawyers to act for the PDP.
    The Makarfi faction had appealed the ruling by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja recognising the right of the Sheriff-led faction to make decisions for the party, including briefing lawyers on its behalf.
    When the Court of Appeal ruled that it would hear the Markafi groups’ appeal with the objection raised against it by the Sheriff faction, it appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, the interlocutory appeal that was struck out this morning.
    The Supreme Court said the Sheriff faction or any other party not satisfied with the Court of Appeal’s final judgement could appeal the judgment, including the interlocutory decisions.
    The court also gave similar directives in relation to other interlocutory appeals relating to the choice of candidate for the PDP in the November 26 Ondo State governorship election.
    The apex court said, in view of the judgments of the Court of Appeal on November 23 – which voided the ruling that recognised Jimoh Ibrahim as candidate – the interlocutory appeals were now mere academic exercise.
    The appeals were against the Court of Appeal’s interlocutory rulings, granting leave to Eyitayo Jegede, Makarfi and Obi to appeal the June 29 judgment and October 14, 2016 ruling by Justice Abang.
    The court orders Ibrahim and others, who are not comfortable with the judgments given by the Court of Appeal on November 23 to appeal the final judgment and include the issues contained in the interlocutory appeals, which it struck out today.
  • Ondo: Sheriff, Ibrahim move to stop Appeal Court’s reserved judgment

    Ondo: Sheriff, Ibrahim move to stop Appeal Court’s reserved judgment

    The Supreme Court has been asked to disband the special panel constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to determine appeals relating to disputes over the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate for the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.

    The apex court is also asked to invoke its disciplinary powers to penalise members of the panel – Justices Ibrahim Saulawa (head of the panel), Ignatius Agube and Goerge Mbaba – for continuing to conduct proceedings in the cases despite the pendency of a motion for stay of proceedings before the Supreme Court.

    The requests formed part of the prayers contained in fresh applications filed before the Supreme Court yesterday by leaders of the PDP in the South West led by Biyi Poroye of Ondo State PDP.

    The applications are marked: SC/ 947/2016 and SC/952/2016.

    They also seek an order of the Supreme Court invoking its disciplinary jurisdiction to set aside the proceedings of the panel on November 16, 2016 in appeals marked: CA/A/551/2016 and CA/A/551C/2016.

    The appeals are those filed by substituted candidate of the PDP in Ondo, Eyidtayo Jegede (SAN) and Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Ahmed Makarfi and its Secretary, Ben Obi.

    The panel had, on November 16 proceeded to hear the substantive appeal by Jegede and elected to hear the substantive appeal by Makarfi and Obi the next day despite the pendency of a motion for stay of proceedings at the lower court before the Supreme Court.

    In the applications filed yesterday, Poroye and others also asked the Supreme Court to restrain members of the panel from further “proceedings (including the delivery of any reserved judgment)in the lower court in the two appeals marked: CA/A/551/2016 and CA/A/551C/2016, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for stay o proceedings pending before the apex court.

    They applicants urged the apex court to order members of the panels to desist from further conducting proceedings “on the ground that they have betrayed their oath of office in their deliberate refusal to be bound by the principles of judicial precedent and stare decisis and refused to be bound by their own Rulings delivered on November, 8,2016 in appeal marked:  CA/A/402/2016: Peoples Democratic Party v. Chief Benson Akingboye and ors, and CA/A/402A/2016 by Sen Ahmed Makarfi vsChief Benson Akingboye and ors.”

    They argued that the panel’s continued conduct of proceedings despite being aware of an appeal pending at the Supreme Court, the pendidncy of a motion for stay of proceedings and the fact that the appeal had been entered, amounted to ” flagrant and blatant breach of the doctrine of lis pendens, stare decisis and violation of required respect of the Supreme Court.”

    The panel at the Court of Appeal proceeded to consider more appeals yesterday.

    One of the appeals heard was that filed by Makarfi and Obi, in which they are challenging the June 29 judgment by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Justice Abang had, in the judgment recognised the Ali Modu Sheriff group as the authentic leaders of the party.

    Yesterday, the panel entertained arguments from parties after they adopted their appellants and respondents’ briefs.

    Justice Saulawa subsequently announced that judgment had been reserved and the date will be communicated to parties.

  • Ondo governorship poll: Sheriff backs Jegede

    Ondo governorship poll: Sheriff backs Jegede

    The disputed National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has thrown his weight behind the party’s governorship candidate in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede.

    In a statement yesterday by his media aide, Inuwa Bwala, Sheriff said as a law abiding citizen, he was bound by the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Jegede as the party’s candidate.

    Stating his commitment to treat issues on merit and in accordance with the law, Sheriff dismissed insinuations linking him with the various petitions against the electoral body.

    According to him, both Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim, who is contesting INEC’s choice, are respectable members of the PDP and that it made no difference which of the two eventually got the ticket.

    Sheriff had submitted the name of Ibrahim to the INEC as the party’s choice candidate.

    He, however, stated that INEC was bound to act based on its own mandate.

    “Sheriff is not unmindful of events leading to the emergence of the two candidates, but wishes to assure Nigerians that steps are being taken to resolve all such issues even beyond what INEC may do, to avoid past experiences occasioned by internal bickering in the PDP,” the statement added.

    The statement conveyed Sheriff’s assurances to the people of Ondo State that he had joined other party leaders in working for the victory of the PDP candidate in the election.

     

  • Sheriff is authentic PDP chairman, says chieftain

    Sheriff is authentic PDP chairman, says chieftain

    Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Kris Oputa spoke with OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE on the effects of the protracted crisis on the electoral chances of the party.

    The PDP is factionalised. which faction do you belong?

    My allegiance is to the Ali Modu Sheriff Camp .He is the authentic chairman of the PDP. The PDP has only one chairman. I belong firmly in his camp.

    In Ndokwa East, there appears to be a standoff between you and some powerful elements in the PDP who are sponsoring another candidate. what’s your take on this?

    The Ndokwa East people are tired of the imposition of candidates. In the last eight years, we have not had a candidate of our choice. So, the people are unhappy, and this has been causing problem in the local government area. After a  PDP congress was  fixed, I went round  consulting with leaders of  Ndokwa East, but before the PDP primaries, a cabal  handpicked  a candidate, but a big protest  ensued by our leaders, youths and women, and at a tribunal, an appeal panel set up by Ali Modu Sheriff visited  Asaba and the 25 local government areas chairmen were summoned because the problem of imposition cut across all the 25 L.G.A’s. Delta State was among the six states whose results were cancelled as there were no congress in the state. The report of the appeal panel favoured me but the State PDP refused to release the result and we further took our protests to Abuja and our complaints were looked into and my victory was upheld. Keep in mind that in the last few weeks state executives were inaugurated in Abuja by Ali Modu Sheriff. Chief Austin Ogbaburhon was elected Delta PDP chairman. The executives at the local government levels across the State were inaugurated by the PDP Deputy Southsouth Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh. So anyone parading himself as PDP chairman in Ndokwa East is wasting his time because the Ali Modu Sheriff PDP faction is the authentic chairman recognised by law. The due process was followed in inaugurating us. The PDP executive council cannot inaugurate itself; they must get their blessing from the national level .As I speak I  have commenced the process of inaugurating PDP ward executives in Ndokwa East L.G.A .Last week I went to Aboh to inaugurate L.G.A executive, following which I will inaugurate the executive in the ten wards of the L.G.A.

    Who are the cabal opposing you in the local government area?

    The cabal that picked one Ugo Asimuelue as the PDP chairman in Ndokwa East are jittery because they are just a few. Almost 95 per cent of the leaders and youths are not with them. Before the elections, at a meeting in Agbor, Governor Okowa urged everyone to go back to their respective L.G.As. Leaders were appointed to screen the candidates vying for chairmanship and that, if there was no consensus candidate, a primary should be conducted to select the popular choice. But to the chagrin of the leaders of the area Chief Godson Obielum and Delta Deputy Speaker Friday Osanebi went ahead to impose a candidate without any primaries conducted. These two discredited leaders are imposing a candidate against the will of the people of Ndokwa East.

    Why do you think these two persons are disobeying Governor Okowa’s directive?

    They are aware that their candidate is unpopular and if they allow an open contest, their candidate will lose. the persons mentioned above obviously want Governor Okowa to lose the 2019 Delta gubernatorial elections. These persons are not founding members of the party in the L.G.A. they have nothing to lose.

    Are you prepared to stake your claim as the authentic and popular candidate against these powerful personalities in your local government.

    I have told you that I have inaugurated the L.G.A executive, following I will inaugurate all the ward executives. My executives will move round the L.G.A to see the leaders and try to bring everyone back into the party.