Anxiety hits Okowa, Ibori camps as INEC delists Delta PDP gubernatorial candidate
By Paul Michael
- Fear of losing 2023 governorship heightens
- Omo-Agege behind party’s woes, chieftain alleges
- Okowa considers Accord Party option
Internal wranglings in the Delta chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have made its leaders and stalwarts in the state divided between two camps (Ibori and Okowa) apprehensive and sceptical about what awaits awaits its 2023 gubernatorial bid.
The Trumpet can authoritatively report that anxiety has gripped members of the party over the possibility of not having a governorship candidate on the 2023 ballot following the ruling of a Federal High Court and subsequent Appeal by one of the battling camps.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday published the personal particulars of candidates nominated by their political parties for the 2023 Governorship and State Assembly elections in all the constituencies nationwide.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of INEC, had on Thursday urged Nigerians to scrutinize the particulars of the various candidates and seek judicial remedy for any observed violation of the law when finally published on Friday.
However, there were neither particulars of Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori from the Okowa camp nor those of Olorogun David Edevbie of the Ibori faction. The development has further unsettled and thrown members of the PDP into dilemma as the chances of having a candidate in the 2023 elections grow slimmer.
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The Governor of the State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has been having an unending power tussle with the state’s erstwhile helmsman, Chief James Ibori, who many analysts described as the political godfather of the party in Delta. Ibori was the political leader of Okowa before his emergence as Governor of the State in 2015.
Crisis, however, began when Okowa moved against the preferred candidate of his supposed political leader, Ibori in the run-up to the party’s 2022 primary in the State. Ibori had anointed seasoned financial administrator, David Edevbie, as a potential successor of Okowa. However, Okowa, who was bent on building a political structure of his own, vehemently resisted the much-taunted fearsome political force of Ibori by throwing his weight behind Oborevwori.
The choices of the once political allies, who are now wrestling dirty to claim the soul of the party in the State, have caused a sharp division between members of the PDP with the loyalty of many being tested.
It was gathered that Okowa was allegedly able to take advantage of his office as the incumbent governor with access to the State treasury to influence many of the power brokers across the three senatorial districts and 25 Local Government Areas to his side by appointing a retinue of aides, thereby subjecting the State to a borrowing spree.
Our findings revealed that Okowa relegated all members of the party who are supporters and loyalists of Ibori by starving them of appointments and political patronage; a move that has caused a significant inadequacy in the circulation of resources within the Ibori bloc, thereby forcing many to shift allegiance.
It was, therefore, not surprising that the State’s Speaker emerged the winner of the party’s primary election that was conducted on 25 May after polling 590 votes to defeat his main rival, Edevbie who polled 107 votes. Senator James Manager came third with 83 votes. But then, that was the beginning of the crisis that is now threatening to kick out the PDP from the seat of power that it has held hostage since the return of Democracy in 1999 – some 23 years ago.
Edevbie wasted no time to file a pre-election case against Oborevwori, challenging his qualification to seek the office of the governor. He prayed the court to disqualify the winner for false information and forged certificates.
In his ruling on Thursday, 7th July 2022, the judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, ordered the PDP and INEC to replace Oborevwori’s name with that of the plaintiff, Edevbie, who scored the second highest votes.
“The 1st Defendant (Mr Oborevwori) should and ought to be prohibited, prevented, or otherwise restrained from holding out, parading, and or advertising himself as the candidate of the 2nd Defendant (PDP) for the forthcoming Gubernatorial elections in Delta State scheduled to hold on 11 March 2023 by the 3rd Defendant (INEC),” Justice Taiwo ruled.
The ruling of the court sent waves into Okowa’s camp with supporters deadly silent, confused, and shattered despite Oborevwori appealing the judgment.
INEC guidelines stipulated that political parties should submit their candidates’ names through the party’s portal on or before Friday, 15th July.
The court judgment was said to have been served to both the PDP and the INEC before the deadline of the electoral umpire. However, it was gathered that the PDP failed to keep to the guidelines by submitting the name of Edevbie as a replacement for Oborevwori, a situation that may lead to the disqualification of the political party.
A top PDP chieftain who spoke to The Trumpet on the condition of anonymity expressed fear that the chances of Oborevwori in the ongoing legal battle are slim. He said the party is facing a very tough time and its members, especially those in the Okowa camp are currently in a state of dilemma.
He further stated that the name and particulars of the PDP governorship candidate missing from the INEC’s published list have further increased tension and fear within the ranks of the PDP.
The source accused the Deputy President of the Senate and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen Ovie-Omo-Agege, of orchestrating the crisis rocking the PDP to ensure that the party has no candidate in the 2023 governorship election.
“What is going on in our party has made many of us devastated. There is fear that PDP may not have a gubernatorial candidate in Delta State as a result of this unending battle between our leaders, which has resulted in lingering court cases. I believe that Ovie Omo-Agege is behind this whole crisis. He is the Deputy Senate President and has a close rapport with the Judiciary,” the source alleged.
Meanwhile, there are speculations that Governor Okowa, who is the Vice Presidential Candidate of the PDP, is currently considering opting for Accord Party by supporting former Secretary of State Government (SSG), Festus Agas.
