Delta LG polls: PDP flouts Oborevwori’s order on imposition of candidates

The Ward 19 chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Okpe local government area of Delta State has flouted the order of the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori on no imposition of candidates for the council elections set to hold in the State.

The PDP Okpe Ward 19, Jeddo had during its primaries produced Hon Palson Arusuayine as the councillorship candidate in the forthcoming council elections, but at the dead end replaced him with Marcus Opuegen in what has been described as daylight robbery.

Recall that Governor Oborevwori had at a PDP Delta Central Stakeholders meeting held at his Osubi country home, ruled out the imposition of candidates in the forthcoming local government council elections in the State.

Oborevwori at the stakeholders meeting said: “Only popular candidates that the people love and generally accepted by all stakeholders, will emerge as candidates of the party.

“We will not accept any candidate through the back door. For anybody to emerge, it must be a collective decision from the wards and must be a popular candidate.”

Flagrantly disobeying Governor Oborevwori’s order, PDP Jeddo Okpe Ward 19 long after conducting its primaries with Arusuayine emerging as the councillorship candidate, has replaced him with Opuegen through the back door.

Opuegen, a Special Assistant (SA) to Governor Oborevwori on youth mobilisation, it was said, never vied for the position of councillor but was reportedly imposed on the Ward with many pointing fingers at the Governor’s son, Fred Oborevwori.

It was gathered that Fred arm-twisted the party executives in the Ward to impose the Governor’s SA in what is not a collective decision from the ward, and long after the PDP had conducted its primaries for the Ward, thus reversing the popular mandate of the people.

The development is currently brewing political unrest in the ward. However, addressing his teeming supporters, Arusuayine said: “I want to sincerely appreciate everyone who has stood by me for the unwavering support so far.

“Right now there is an issue I want to address. I have been stripped of the mandate to vie for the position of councillor to represent the good people of Ward 19.

“I was asked to step down, long after the party conducted the primary election and I emerged as the candidate. As crazy as this is, I am still trying to process it and the decision to take next.

“I urge my supporters not to take this to heart, but stay calm. I believe there are better days ahead. They must think they have killed the vision, but they have not. Any time soon, God will announce something bigger.

“I strongly urge my supporters to stay calm. You all have tried for me. I sincerely appreciate the time, patience, efforts, prayers and support, financially and otherwise”.