LAGOS OCTOBER 7TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The ongoing realignment in the People Democratic Party (PDP) is seriously causing ripple effects in the Delta state chapter as large number of members of the party are dumping the camp of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s led caretaker committee to join forces with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party.
The development which is currently causing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the state factional chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso sleepless nights, if not urgently addressed may cause the governor to lost grip of the party machineries by the time the two factions of the party at the national level finally reconciled.
Credible sources revealed that Okowa, who is seriously jostled by the development, had directed the Esiso-led faction to put all reconciliation modalities in place to go round the 25 councils in the state to reconcile aggrieved members with the view to winning back those already drifting to the Sheriff’s camp.
This is coming as the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction of PDP led by the Delta state factional chairman, Mr. Austine Ogbaburhon had last week inaugurated parallel wards and local government councils executives to pilot the affairs of the party in various local government areas and wards in the state.
The inauguration of the Sheriff’s faction was conducted at the country home of Okowa in Ika South Council Area by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, who was represented by his Deputy National chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.
Ojougboh, while stressing that Sheriff’s interest in PDP remains paramount at the national, state and local government levels of the party, he maintained that with the inauguration, the mountain of crisis in the party has been removed.
Factional chairman of the party, Mr. Austin Ogbaburhon, flanked by his deputies in Delta South, Delta North and Delta Central Senatorial Districts of the state maintained the state, local government areas and wards executives represents the true face of the party in Nigeria.

It could be recalled that the Senator Ahmed Makafi’s faction of the party in the state of which Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is the party leader, had few months ago inaugurated the state executives of the party across the 25 council areas of the state and had planted his former aide, Mr. Kingsley Esiso as state chairman.
Dependable sources said that with the inauguration of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff executive factions in the state, Governor Okowa is now fully aware that part of the party political machineries have moved to the Senator Ahmed Makafi’s faction.
Reliable chieftain of the Makarfi’s camp who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said that Okowa would lost the control of the party with the way things are going, most especially because of the forces behind the Sheriff’s camp.
“Shortly after the inauguration, some of top party members in the Makarfi’s camp called me and spoke with me on the need to join the winning train which is Sheriff. According to them with all indication, the Sheriff’s camp is more recognized by law to have held the entire party to ransom. I can tell you authoritatively now that there is serious drift because no one want to be left behind after the whole show.” the chieftain said.

An elder of the party in the Makarfi’s camp disclosed that things were going the way they were going in the state because many people are fed up with the way Okowa was running the party in the state as his private estate.
“The elder council of PDP in Delta state is tired with the way and manner the governor is running the party. The peace in the Delta State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Okowa is very fragile and may soon give way to commotion and fracas because some of us are already trying to pitch our tents with the Sheriff’s camp because we envisage that once the battle in the national is over so many persons will be left behind and cannot have any say in the party, so its now we have to take the bull by the horns.
“The elders’ council of the party have not benefited any single thing from Okowa led government as party men. Okowa has always claimed to be the party leader and does not listen or take our advice. Apart from giving contracts to his brothers, cronies and few close friends, there is nothing to write home about. Again, I want to still confirm to you that there is serious drifting from the Makafi’s camp to the Sheriff’s camp”.
An official member of the Esiso led faction of the party who called our correspondent on Friday over the development said the governor is worried over the situation and has directed the state factional chairman, Mr. Kingsley Esiso to ensure that a reconciliatory meeting is held every now and there.
“The report that secret mass drifting from our camp to the Sheriff’s camp in the state is true but please don’t mention my names. Are you aware that last week at Agbor, the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff faction led by the Delta state factional chairman, Mr. Austine Ogbaburhon inaugurated parallel wards and local government council’s executives to pilot the affairs of the party in the state?
“Let’s tell ourselves the truth, Sheriff is a figure in the party to reckon with, he is winning the battle whether you like it or not but we are not going to allow his camp have the party in the state hence the several meetings we are holding in the state over the development,’ he said.
Another member of the Esiso’s factional executive who pleaded anonymity, allegedly accused the Ali Modu Sheriff’s led factional Deputy National chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh for masterminding the crisis brewing in the party in the state.
“What does Ojougboh actually want? Does he expect to become South South chairman of the party when he has a governor from his Delta North axis? PDP does all its things by zoning so if the two faction finally reconcile today, Ojougboh that is scheming and polarizing the party in Delta state today cannot be South South chairman because we have a governor in Delta North already.
“He is claiming Deputy National chairman to Sheriff’s faction from which convention or National Working Committee or National Executive Committee. I can tell you categorically that this man is destroying himself but he doesn’t know. Instead of him to just go and play influence politics since his brother is the governor he is fighting him.
“There is a leadership that has emerged with Okowa’s support and he is today talking of parallel exco? When was the congresses that brought in their so-called executives held, it really shameful!
When contacted the Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s factional chairman of the party in the state, Mr.Esiso said he can’t speak now on the issues because he was in a meeting. He did not respond to text message sent to his mobile as at the time of filling this report.