Former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has expressed concern over the deepening intra-party confrontations and unguarded statements among People Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, especially in Delta South Senatorial and Delta Central districts which, according to him, are capable of engendering disunity and division in the PDP.
Uduaghan who stated this while playing host to leaders and stakeholders of the party at the Delta State Governor’s Office Annex in Warri recently, recalled the tension and crisis the state witnessed during his tenure due to hate speeches, praying against such reoccurence.
The former governor convened the meeting as part of his effort to contain the seeming tension already developing among chieftains of the party among Delta South and Delta Central, in view of the 2023 governorship race.
“I have managed crises before I became governor and while I was a governor. As a governor, I had to put my hands up in the river, when soldiers pointed AK-47 at me. I couldn’t go with security. I am worried about the crisis and I pray we do not have any”, he said.
The former governor, who cautioned those who are nursing political ambition not to compromised peace, recalled the example of Rwanda genocide that was instigated by hate speech, stressing that it is capable of resulting in dire consequences.
“Let us not create enmity because of an election that will not happen this year; let us try to actualize our ambitions in peace. Please, I want to appeal that in our ambitions, we should be careful in what we say, how we act and carry ourselves.
“Some of you may have noticed in the last few weeks, pronouncements are being made, that bother on hate speeches by members of this party.
“Let us not create enmity because of an election that will not happen this year; let us try to actualize our ambitions in peace. Please, I want to appeal that in our ambitions, we should be careful in what we say, how we act and carry ourselves.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Governor of the State, Mr. Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, stressed on the need for members of the party to exercise decorum, stressing that as the party prepares for the 2023 general election in the Senatorial zone, it is incumbent on the members to remain united for the task ahead.
Others who spoke at the occasion include the chairman of the PDP in Delta South, Chief (Dr.) Julius Takeme and the Woman Leader of the zone, Vero Tangbowei Emmanuel both of who stressed the need for love among members for the pupose of achieving victory in all elections just as the need to carry women along was also emphasized.
Political activities in Delta Central and Delta South have heightened in recent times culminating in the formation of DC-23 in Delta Central by Chief Ighoyota Amori-led group that is geared towards realizing the turn of Urhobo to produce the next PDP governorship candidate. In response, a group floated by former minister of Police Affairs, Chief Broderick Bozimo held a meeting of Ijaw PDP members and stakeholders at his BB hotel in Warri with a claim that it is the turn of the Ijaws to produce the next PDP governorship candidate in the state.
It would be recalled that the governor of the State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa had, two months ago, in a press briefing in Asaba declared that there was no standing gentleman agreement among PDP stakeholders which provided for a governorship rotation among the three senatorial districts in the State.
While members of the DC-23 in Delta Central insist that such agreement was in existence and on the basis of which it is the turn of Urhobo to produce the next PDP governorship candidate for the 2023 election, the Ijaws in Delta South claimed that it is their turn to produce the PDP candidate, claiming that they have been vindicated by Gov. Okowa’s denial of a subsisting agreement.
Meanwhile, PDP stalwarts in the State have countered Gov. Okowa’s position denying the existence of such agreement. The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi faulted the position Gov. Okowa, saying that it was based on the rotational agreement on senatorial basis that produced former Governor James Ibori, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and even the incumbent governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
In an effort to avert possible crisis, the former governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan held the meeting to calm down nerve among party chieftains as the party prepares for the next gubernatorial elections.
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