LAGOS APRIL 26TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sapele local government Chapter, Delta state, took a new turn over the weekend as a founding member of the party in the State, Chief Margaret Unukegwo, a former commissioner in the old Bendel state urged the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya, to respect his office and elders.
Speaking to journalist on her alleged role in the crisis bedeviling the party in Sapele, Chief Unukegwo stated that the division in the party in the local government is as a result of the Speaker’s attempt to singlehandedly choose the delegate and list for the congress without consulting stakeholders as directed by the party leading to protest by those aggrieved.
According to her, “in order to help party members come out with a harmonized list; the party made a policy statement that we should consult with all stakeholders in the party at every ward and that everybody should go to their ward and collectively; leaders from each ward should choose those who make the list.”
“However, this was not the case of Sapele, surprisingly the Chief Mr. Monday Igbuya, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, called his boys and draw up the list for Sapele LGA, without consulting some of the ward leaders and stakeholders, so, some of them felt that thighs should not be done that way and they protested to the state chairman of the party.”
“To be candid with you, I am one of the leaders of PDP in Sapele and a leader in my ward, there is no other person in my ward who is a foundation member of the PDP, except me. In fact, I am one of the 10 persons who convene the PDP in Delta State, so, why should someone go to my ward and constitute executive list without consulting me?”
“So, it is the person who draws up the list without consulting others that is generating crisis in the party in Sapele, and not the other way round. We want to plead with them to respect their positions and elders. Some of us are much older than they are; and we started the party before they came in.”
She also stated that, they supported and assisted the likes of Chief Igbuya to get to the top politically; but sadly, they are being trampled upon today; “they are trampling on us with their positions, they should respect those of us who assisted them to grow politically,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PDP in Sapele, Mr. David Oghenekevwe, blame the chairman of Sapele Local Government Council, Mr. Ejaife Odebala and his associates of attempting to destroy the in the state, by instigating division in the party in Sapele LGA.
In a statement in Sapele, Oghenekevwe accused Odebala and others of foisting blatant lies to malign the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Monday Igbuya, by sponsoring lies in the media against the Speaker for their selfish interest.
He also accuses Chief Margaret Unukegwo of being a strong supporter of Labour Party governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru. Noting that, “she signed an Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) document endorsing Ogboru in 2015 as published in one of the national newspapers.”
He added also that Chief Lucky Ayomanor one of the party to the crisis of not being a member of PDP, having contested House of Assembly election for Sapele State Constituency in 2011 and 2015 under the platform of ACN and LP”.
According to Oghenekevwe, “the allegation that Igbuya is sidelining party leaders is preposterous. When you have a council chairman that disrespects the leaders, that encourages violence and is ready to destroy the party, you should expect anything.”
He advised Odebala and his co-travelers to think of ways of developing the local government area and stop creating tension and division where none exist.
Advocate