- As Protest Rages In Warri North…
From Amaechi Prosper (The New Diplomat’s Delta State Correspondent)
Ahead of the 2023 political permutations in Delta State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has been hit by fresh crisis which boiled over Saturday leading to the resignation of Chief Adizue Eluaka, a top Anioma politician and palace chief of the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof Chike Edozien.
The New Diplomat’s checks reveal that Chief Adizue Eluaka resigned his appointment as a Board member of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Board in protest against what insiders consider as a disrespectful treatment meted on the highly respected Asaba Monarch, Obi Prof Chike Edozien over the choice of the PDP chairmanship candidate for the seat of Oshimili South Local Government Council chairman.
Top level political sources in Asaba, the Delta state capital confided in The New Diplomat that Chief Eluaka’s displeasure arises from the fact that one Chief Chinedu Oko, a businessman used his financial muscle and connection with top echelon of the State and the PDP apparatchik to impose his younger brother, one Ezeyili (from Oko) as the PDP candidate for Oshimili South Local government Council seat.
This was in gross disobedience to the wise counsel of the respected Obi Prof Chike Edozien who preferred that the next chairmanship of the Council should come from another autonomous community within the Oshimili South since the incumbent chairman of the Council who is wrapping up his tenure is from Oko.
In Oshimili South our correspondent gathered that the choice of who became the PDP chairmanship candidate for that Local Government Council actually pitched incumbent Council chairman, Uche Osadebe against the highly respected Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Chike Edozien.
It was alleged that those loyal to the Royal father wanted another candidate preferably from Asaba or Okwe because both incumbent Council chairman Osadebe and Ezeyili, younger brother to the controversial businessman, Chinedu Oko are from Oko axis.
The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Chike Edozien had spoken in his palace, shortly after a peaceful protest led by the President General of Asaba Development Union (ADU), worldwide, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, and the Odogwu of Ahaba, Obi Nwanze Odue against the return of Comrade Uche Osadebe, the Oshimili South LGA chairman to office or be succeeded by any one from Oko.
According to the royal father, there are three autonomous communities namely, Asaba, Oko and Okwe and that for peace to reign it would be inappropriate, insensitive and politically unjust to put forward another Oko man to succeed Osadebe who is also from Oko.
Said an insider: “ It is very tragic politically. The whole of Oshimili is in crisis and it is spreading across the state. How can you take another Oko man to succeed another Oko man in a place where you have three autonomous communities. More annoying is that the governor’s name is being mentioned as the one behind this problem.
“We hear someone collected N24million(Name withheld) and gave it to the fellow from Oko against the wise counsel of the very revered Obi Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba. Who does that type of political suicide ahead of 2023? PDP is being thrown into serious crisis…
”In Warri North , there is serious fight over who is the party candidate for the local council seat. Some people sat somewhere are trying to impose one candidate . But we shall see how that will happen in Warri North. It is impossible..’’
The New Diplomat gathered that the resignation of the top PDP Chieftain from the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration has dire ramifications as voices of cacophony continue to grow thick in the state’s chapter of the PDP over injustices and the alleged imposition of candidates for the forthcoming council polls in the state.
Though, Eluaka did not give any reason for resigning his appointment as board member, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, another source told The New Diplomat that, “the arrangement before now, was that after the two terms of the outgone council chairman who hailed from Oko, the chairmanship position should go to Asaba, but when the sum of 25 million naira is at stake coupled with the impunity of the Governor to handpick candidates that only favor his political interest in 2023, the result is why a highly respected chief like Eluaka has to resign his position yesterday.
“The Chairmanship candidate of PDP is from Oko and from the same Ward as the Council Chairman that just completed his two terms. All Asaba political office holders are resigning as we speak in solidarity with the position of the Asagba of Asaba. This is just in Oshimili South LGA alone.
“The Governor or his people are gradually destroying the PDP in the state and the consequences politically will be serious. There is going to be mass defection from PDP between February till the end of 2022 across the 25 Local governments in Delta state.
“When a man begins to make himself Lord in a political party, he will definitely face rejection and defection. Chief Adizue Eluaka is regarded as “Onu ndi Asaba”.
“His resignation speaks volume and should serve as a lesson to the PDP leadership and present government in power that you cannot have your way all the time because of your interest.
“PDP in Delta state is heading towards destruction on life support,” The source added.
Meanwhile, in the resignation letter addressed to Delta state governor dated 8th January, 2021 sighted by The New Diplomat, Eluaka said, “I wish to refer to your appointment letter referenced SGD955/125 on the above subject matter dated 1st August, 2019 and to hereby tender my application for resignation of the appointment with effects from above date.”
However, speaking on why he resigned his appointment, Chief Eluaka said it was not true that he has decamped to APC, but insisted that he has to quit his appointment because of accumulated injustices meted on Asaba community by the PDP government in the state.
He stated that the PDP chairmanship candidate for Oshimili South LGA for the council election was his political son, but argued that it was not fair for PDP to retain the chairmanship of the council for Ward two Oko, for three consecutive terms at a stretch.
Recall that The New Diplomat had earlier reported that in Warri North, there is also a raging tussle among four PDP heavy weights over who becomes the party candidate for the forthcoming election continues.
The battle, The New Diplomat gathered, is among ex-chairmen of the Council, Hon. Godwin Ebosa, the current chairman of DESOPADEC, Hon. Michael Diden, aka Ejele, Alhaji Omoko and Barrister Misan Ukubeyinje, a two time Commissioner and also a former member of the Delta state House of Assembly.
It was gathered that while Ebosa favoured the choice of Dio Tanga, Ejele has pitched his tent with Smart Asekutu, Alhaji Omoko favours one Okpoye while Misan Ukubeyinje wants a broad consensus through a harmonization of the various political tendencies in Warri North LGA.
