LAGOS MARCH 5TH (NEWSRANGERS)-President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that if the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Delta State do not sink their individual differences and work for the success of the party, the Okowa led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will win the Saturday Gubernatorial polls.
Speaking at an interactive section with the leadership of the peoples and stakeholders of Delta state at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI in Effurun, near warri, Monday the President who was represented by the Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo called for unity of purpose among the leaders of the APC stating that “Deltans are yearning for a change of baton at the Government House. Delta state should not be in opposition with the center”.
Prof. Osinbajo assured that the security challenges faced during the Presidential/National Assembly polls that allegdely prevented APC supporters from coming out enmasse to cast their votes across the state would be addressed with all the serious it deserves and expressed regret that with all the abundance of human, material, oil and gas resources available in the state it has still remain stagnant for all these years and therefore Delta must come on board the APC train to enjoy more democracy dividends.
The APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in his remarks congratulated the leadership of the APC in the state for the giant stride achieved in the February 23 presidential election and charge them “not to wallow in self-pity” but to struggle much harder to wrest power from the ruling PDP”, saying that “PDP is no longer in fashion as it is now in political menopause” and charged party members not to be unnecessarily suspicious of one another to move the party forward.
Earlier in their contributions to the discussions, Barr. Okoro Mukoro from Delta North Senatorial district also gave reasons why Okowa is likely to win the guber polls, saying that he has total control of Delta North Senatorial district votes and would keenly contest the Delta South and Central votes with the opposition.
He therefore, like Mr. Joel Onowhakpor, the APC Isoko Federal Constituency candidate who claimed to have won the February 23 election but was denied victory called for full militarization of the polling units to provide security for voters even as they maintained that INEC staff and the security agencies were all compromised.
A market woman leader stated that if the unwholesome activities of INEC staff and security agencies, the thousands of SSAs and all the 25 Council Chairmen are not properly monitored and curtailed, the PDP will certainly win the gubernatorial/Assembly polls because they are appointees of Governor Okowa and or heavily induced financially to compromise the exercise.
A traditional ruler from Udu, HRH, Delekpe on his part appealed to the Presidency to allow Chinese investors take over the running of the comatose Delta Steel Company, DSC saying the Indian are not capable of running the steel firm as what they are doing amount to pretence.
An APC chieftain, Chief Michael Jonny called for the engagement of more Ijaw indigenes in the APC government as they have, at great risk contributed to the growth of the party in the state just as another Ijaw speaker revealed that voting materials from Bomadi, Burutu, Patani and Warri South-West are hijacked to a camp at Ayakoromo community where they did the ballot stuffing with the cooperation of security and militants known to him.
Others speakers at the occasion raised the issue of anti-party activities pointing directly at the Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu while at intervals the people bored a leader of the APC in the state from Delta central for taking the party to court over leadership tussle with the APC gubernatorial candidate, Chief Great Ogboru taking the stage to caution speakers on their unbecoming utterances capable of leading to chaos.
The interactive session was attended by APC members of the National Working Committee, Chieftains, traditional rulers, the clergy, community leaders, youth leaders and critical stakeholders among are Prophet Jones Erue, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Chief Otega Emeroh, Chief Odibo, AVM Okorodudu, Comrade Alex Eyengho, Chief Hope Erute, Chief Ayirim Emami and Chief Gabriel Awala, the Ovie of Ughelli and representative of the Orodje of Okpe, Chief Cosmos Ighoraye and Chief Wellington Okrika amongst others.