Defection: PDP has lost taste — Oghenesivbe

…Says Okowa served Delta without blemish

The Director General, Delta State Bureau for Communications and Orientation, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lost its taste due to unreconcilable power game anchored on highly sophisticated political intrigues.

Speaking during the KAKAKI morning show of the Africa Independent Television, AIT, Oghenesivbe, a lawyer, described the ongoing internal crisis in the party at the national level as a killer political cancer, a deeply rooted power game that may grind the party to a halt before the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

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According to him, in 2015, a group known as ‘The New PDP’ joined forces with certain high power political gladiators to wrestle power from the main PDP, and that a similar incident occurred in 2019, followed by another round of rancour in 2023 general elections which obviously produced the political cancer that led to the slow but steady strangulation of the party.

The Bureau Chief stated that the PDP governors tried their best to revive the party but to no avail, adding that the power tussle at the centre, coupled with the refusal of PDP governors to form a coalition,n was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

Oghenesivbe disclosed that the political exodus that took place in Delta on Monday, was as a result of the collective decisions taken by the State governor, Dr (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori with all the leaders and stakeholders across board after due consultations from top to bottom, leading to the massive cross carpeting, described by Vice President Kashim Shettima as a political tsunami of unimaginable magnitude like never before in the victory of Nigeria.

He stated that the defection has nothing to do with the alleged N1.3 trillion misappropriation of funds contained in the petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, pointing out that in criminal jurisprudence a suspect or an accused person is presumed innocent until proven beyond reasonable doubt in any Court of competent jurisdiction, insisting that Senator Okowa served Delta and Deltans without blemish.

Oghenesivbe further asserted that anybody can be invited by the EFCC or the Police based on written petition, and that in the instant case of former governor Okowa, he promptly and volunterily reported at the EFCC’s office upon return from his foreign trip, questioned and released, a procedure he described as “lawful, normal and appropriate” but does not in any way suggest that Senator Okowa was found guilty by the EFCC or any Court in Nigeria.

He explained that after interrogation, and where there are no credible evidence to prosecute the suspect, the investigators abandons the petition, and cannot go ahead to issue a public statement to clear the suspect of any wrong doings, pointing out that such powers are strictly vested in the Courts, which is why the EFCC may never issue any public statement to clear any suspect that was found not to have soiled his or her fingers after investigation.

Oghenesivbe said governor Oborevwori has proven again and again to be a good leader, recognised and appreciated nationally as the Best Governor of the Year, Best Governor in Infrastructure and Best Governor in Good Governance, adding that the unprecedented turn out during the defection ceremony reflected the approval of the good people of Delta State, and the entire former PDP political structure in Delta State.

He assured that Delta and Deltans are going to be the beneficiaries of the “Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda, saying that the combination of the inflow of infrastructure and socioeconomic development from the APC led federal government and the state governor would of a necessity enhance prosperity of the people and rapid development of the three senatorial districts beyond 2027.

“The multifaceted litigations and internal crisis in the PDP have become unbearable. It’s a deeply rooted political cancer that would grind the party toa halt before the 2027 general elections.

“The PDP power house is collapsing rapidly, and we do not want it to collapse on our heads because of the severe political consequences that may come with it.

“If PDP governors refused to form a coalition and the power tussle at the national level is foreseeably unreconcilable, what do you want us to do? We love peace in Delta, and our governor needed peace of mind to enable him to deliver more dividends of democracy to our people.

“We are very happy that PDP in the state collapsed into the APC, which is now united, bigger, stronger and ready to win presidential, national Assembly, House of Assembly, governorship and other elections come 2027.

“Above all, Delta is now positioned to gain more from the APC-led federal government as a result of the defection. We are no longer in opposition at the centre.

“Governor Oborevwori will have to devote the time that would have been allocated to resolving the national party crisis to government business for the benefit of all Deltans,” Oghenesivbe said.