A crisis is forming between Delta State’s immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and Senator Ned Nwoko, who represents the Delta North senatorial district, over the leadership of the Delta North Peoples Democratic Party.
According to our sources, some political followers in the senatorial district believe that former Governor Okowa should be recognised as the PDP’s leader in the senatorial district.
However, another section of political followership in the senatorial district believed that as the highest-ranking political office holder and current senator representing the district, Senator Nwoko should assume the leadership position of the PDP in the zone.
It was also gathered that the imposition of chairmanship candidates allegedly by Okowa in the senatorial district, including Senator Nwoko’s local government area of Aniocha North, ahead of the forthcoming local government election, did not go down well with Nwoko
This development has allegedly led to a division and crack in the party in the senatorial district.
One of the political followers in the district, Mr Promise Nachi, said all this political brouhaha is geared towards 2027.
He said, “Aniocha North people don’t know what they are doing. Those hungry boys should take this to Hon Ned Nwoko, he might not smell a second tenure.
“If we sit down and allow sand enter our eyes in daylight, we will keep fighting ourselves. Then tomorrow you will hear the governor say it’s Ika’s turn to go to Senate that Aniocha/Oshimili have taken their turn and we will all dance to the governor say this and that.”
Also, one of Nwoko’s strongest supporter, simply identified as Mr Eze, said, “Meetings are already holding in various hotels in Asaba against Nwoko.
“Some of them have been promised ward coordinators against Nwoko’s second term, I know all of them and the various meetings they attended, but the good thing is that politics is not mathematics and man is not God.”
Reacting to the development, a political analyst, Mr Peter Legacy, said,
“Let Senator Nwoko concentrate on giving effective representation. He will be returned if he want to return.
“The people know the right thing and they will do it. As for the political jobbers and schemers, the intelligent ones are working hard to reinvent themselves because it is no more business as usual. And the most amazing thing is that the overrated politicians have been demystified.”
As a way forward out of the logjam, series of meetings have been held by the elders and stakeholders of the party, not only in the zone, but across the state.
One of the meetings was held recently at Orchid Hotel and was presided over by Governor Sheriff Oborevweri to bring peace to the district.
At the meeting, Governor Oborevweri was said to have appealed to Nwoko to remain calm, assuring him that his seat is not been threatened.
Efforts to reach Senator Nwoko over the ongoing development failed as calls and messages put across to him were not responded to at the time of filing this report
But competent and reliable sources, who are in the know, but insisted that they were not authorized to speak on the issue confirmed the leadership rift between the former governor and Senator Nwoko.
When contacted over the development, the Delta North senatorial PDP chairman, Mr Mose Idu, told South-South newsmen correspondent, “I don’t know anything about that.”
(Credit: Punch)